The Breeze Kings “Can’t Stay Home”. Veritone 2012
I must admit this group intrigues me and sometimes the music they play comes to hypnotize me. I do not know well why this happens to me, but this is the true thing. Their music gives off a certain bewitching air that lets you breathe in the special atmosphere all along the ten songs included in this album entitled “Can’t Stay Home”. All tracks ooze a possessive troubling air that slowly catches you. It becomes a wrapping, exhausting and, sometimes, tough smell. The Breeze Kings are Carlos Capote harmonica and vocals, Jim Ransone guitar, Aaron Trubic bass and Trevor Roberts drums. All of them slowly weave a kind of spider web that catches you with no escape. “Can’t Stay Home” is their fourth album where you will discover the special creativity of an original and different band. Thanks to nine original songs that show a new proposal, completely different from their three previous albums. The Breeze Kings have grown in maturity and, I dare say, they will continue growing up in the future as they have been doing so far. It is not casual they have been voted on nine different times as the best blues band in Atlanta. VERY GOOD.
Vicente Zumel, La Hora Del Blues Radio Show, Barcelona Spain, October 2013
Winner of a 2013 international ‘Keeping The Blues Alive’ award from The Blues Foundation
Can’t go Wrong With The Breeze Kings’ Can’t Stay Home
Breeze Kings singer Carlos Capote doesn’t waste any time getting down to business on the band’s new CD, Can’t Stay Home. He kicks off the opening song, “Mercury Blues,” singing “I’m tired. Tired of these same old blues.” That’s a classic blues theme: The protagonist is tired, discouraged, and facing overwhelming hurdles. And in true blues fashion, the Breeze Kings chronicle their journey as they overcome these obstacles.
And what a journey it is. Broken-down cars, women who need help, women who need seducing, and a few sneaky women dot the landscape of Can’t Stay Home. Like their other CDs, this one is full of rollicking, danceable tunes.
The Breeze Kings don’t just write great music – they craft clever songs, with creative wordplay. I really like the lyrics in “Too Cute.” Here’s one sample verse:
You can call me a doctor
By the way I’ll take care of you
Take two of me, and lay right down
Close your eyes and I’ll work my way ‘round.
It’s like that all the way through the CD – the songs are catchy, sexy, and always very singable. Carlos’ voice is as strong as ever, rising from a whisper to a shout with ease. You’d never know that he had a kidney transplant last year. His harp playing runs the whole gamut, from sweet, Stevie Wonderesque lines to gutbucket Chicago-style shrieks. In addition to innovative melodic solos, Carlos also plays a myriad of cool fills that function like “rhythm harp.”
Guitarist Jim Ransone coaxes every tone imaginable out of his ax. He’s silky smooth one minute, nasty the next. His solos are full of nuance, a quality that the blues is not known for. After playing together for so many years, Jim and Carlos manage to stay locked in, but loose, ready for anything.
On this CD, drummer Trevor Roberts and bassist Aaron Trubic provide the foundation for this musical architecture. They’re both big on talent – Trevor is a drum instructor, and Aaron is a cellist and recording engineer.
Together, the Breeze Kings can inject a shot of the blues into any style of music. “Well For Water” features a Western swing drum beat, Hawaiian slide guitar and vocal harmonies. “The Other Track” is a haunting piece of country blues. And “Cooling Out” starts off with more finger-snapping than “West Side Story.” Keep cool, boy!
It’s a new take on an old musical format. But no matter how many influences they bring to their songs, with The Breeze Kings, it’s always the blues.
Andy Shaughnessy for The Atlanta Blues Society March 2013
The Breeze Kings continue to be one of Atlanta’s hottest blues bands, winning Creative Loafing’s award for Best Blues Band nine years, with their real-deal approach to ’50s era Chicago blues. Their fourth release, on Veritone Records, is Can’t Stay Home. The charismatic Carlos “Breeze” Capote returns on vocals and harmonica with Jim Ransone still firing on all cylinders while manning guitar duties. The dynamite rhythm section consists of Aaron Trubic (bass) and Trevor Roberts (drums). Lending support on selected tracks are Bob Page (piano), Norm “Tex” Ficke (tenor sax), and Dan Seifert (Hammond organ).
One of the strong suits of the band’s previous releases was their songwriting, and that still continues to serve them well on this new release, with songs like Ransone’s “Mercury Blues,” a car tune of a different sort….this one not particular fast or actually moving at all. Other highlights include “Well I Wish,” an updating of a familiar blues theme, and “Beehive,” a clever metaphorical character study of a woman who plays the field.
“Well for Water” is another standout, with its taut rockabilly boogie, and Ransone’s cool Hawaiian slide work. The closer, “The Other Track,” is an acoustic number has some nice slide guitar as well. There are also two instrumental tracks, Ransone’s jazzy “My Little Life,” and J.C. Davis’ aptly titled “Coolin’ Out,” both of which give the individual band members a chance to shine. Capote does an excellent job on vocals…displaying the right mix of grit and vulnerability when needed, and he can flat blow the back off the harmonica, too.
Can’t Stay Home is another fine release from The Breeze Kings, and hopefully, one that will help them gain a wider audience beyond Atlanta and the southeastern U.S. With their considerable songwriting chops and musical rapport, they deserve to be heard.
Graham Clarke, for BluesBytes.com, Feb 2013
Atlanta’s own Breeze Kings have a new CD out, “Can’t Stay Home,” on which they certainly live up to their names light and breezy is exactly how this CD feels, and that is a good thing.
Eight of the 10 numbers on the CD are written by members of the band, and they show themselves to be skilled songwriters as well as excellent musicians. Every number features impeccable musicianship as well.
It’s not really possible to pick favorites on this CD, either, as almost every song is a favorite. I am particularly fond of “Mercury Blues,” which lets every member of the band show up their skill from vocals to percussion to guitar and bass and which features some excellent piano work from guest Bob Page. Other favorites are “Well I Wish,” with great vocals and tasty harmonica, “Play You My Love,” “Beehive,””Well for Water,” and “Be My Rider.”
The two numbers not written by band members, “Coolin’ it” and “The Other Track” fit in nicely with the band’s style. “Coolin’ It’ has an enjoyable retro vibe and allows the band to shine, and “The Other Track” stands out for the great lap steel guitar by Ransome.
The only song on the CD that I had a small problem with is “Too Cute.” It’s a great, fun song by Aaron Trubic, but the sound mix for me is just a little off, a bit too muddy, especially compared to the sound on the other songs.
Nevertheless, the CD is great, breezy, fun entertainment.
Get “Can’t Stay Home,” either on Amazon or elsewhere online or at a show. You’ll be happy that you did.
The Breeze Kings play regularly all around town, and nothing beats the excitement of a live Breeze Kings show. So once you have the CD, take yourself out to see the group. I guarantee you will be impressed!
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