How do you write and record a blues album? If you’re Buffalo/Houston band The Broken Vibes, the answer is easy...the interwebs (yes I said the inter interwebs). This method gives you the ability meet no where near the middle to record. The two piece (Pete Torrey Guitar/ Vocals and Dan Wilcox drums), which is half rooted in Buffalo (Wilcox) while the other half is based in Houston (Torrey), began the writing process through emails. This is actually how the two initially met in the first place, via a Craigslist ad (and no they didn’t meet through Casual Encounters). The two eventually met up in Cleveland, Ohio to lay down tracks with Adam Korbesmeyer (of the Cleveland band Nomads) who mixed and mastered the album.
The ever imaginatively titled The Broken Vibes II, their sophomore effort, is a “Blues” album. The obvious comparisons that can be made are to The Black Keys and The White Stripes, and other duos that play Delta Blues. It also helps that Torrey’s voice channels the love child of Dan Auberabch and Kenny Wayne Shepherd. This however would be a somewhat lazy juxtaposition. A more acute observation would be Led Zeppelin, Junior Kimbrough, or RL Burnside.
The Broken Vibes II plays like a mix tape from Rob Sheffield (Rolling Stones editor and author), except you don’t have to act all sad after listening to it. The opening track, "My New Thing," is a low and slow blues riffed intro met by a heavy three-four drum accompaniment. The ballad "All Down the Line," is a song that reminds you of an Indie-pop Pandora station if it wasn’t for Torrey’s gravely vocals. "Lost Without You" exemplifies why and how Torrey’s voice works perfectly with vocal effects. These songs come together to make the formula found throughout the record, and which gives The Broken Vibes II the perfect flow. It doesn’t fade away into the distance, nor does it burn out on the freeway, it just lingers on. The real gem on this record is the somber "Used to Be," which stresses the subtlety of Wilcox’s drum kit. As it plays on, Torrey’s voice gently seduces us, and we don’t even mind even though we didn’t shave our legs for this impromptu little romp.
The Broken Vibes do us a few favors along the way, such as sparing us the fascist redundancy of guitar solos. We never exactly forget we are listening to a blues record, it just escapes our minds for a brief moment. This is a nice progressive departure from their self titled debut. They no longer appear to be trying to be The Black Keys. They are coming into their own, and it makes you curious what else they still have up their sleeves. When asked about his thoughts on the album Torrey said, “I'm shocked that we didn't get more spacey and weird on The Broken Vibes II.” I’ll be honest with you, I look forward to them getting a little weird.
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