News

Mar 3 2023

"Spinning Bells" out now!

Our newest single from For the Birds, “Spinning Bells”, just came out today!

Check it out below or stream it wherever you get your streaming!

Feb 10 2023

"In the Garden" music video available now!

It's alive!!

Feb 1 2023

World Premiere of our very first music video for "In the Garden" at Americana Highways!

Hard to believe, but we've never actually had a music video before. Well, our good friend and auxiliary member of the Breakdown solved that for us in style! And Americana Highways was kind enough to give it a world premiere.

…

Dec 15 2022

In the Garden is out today!!

This is the first single from our new album, For the Birds, and I couldn't be more excited for everyone to hear it. Check it out wherever you get your music!

Stream It!

Dec 9 2022

"In the Garden" World Premiere on Local Spins, WYCE 88.1FM!!

Hey everyone,

I'm beyond excited to announce that the first single, "In the Garden", from our forthcoming album, "For the Birds", officially gets its world premiere today (Fri, 12/9) on WYCE 88.1FM as part of the Local Spins show.

Remember…

Nov 17 2022

"For the Birds" - New album coming spring 2023!

Hope all is well with you! I just wanted to share a quick update and a little sneak peek.

Our new album will officially be called, "For the Birds" and the musical part is completely done: mixed, mastered, and…

Mar 21 2022

Coming out of a pandemic shell? I sure hope so...

Hi everyone,

Just a super, super quick post to say that I'm cautiously optimistic that maybe...just maybe...we can start easing out of our pandemic shells and start sharing some music in the real world. I'm afraid it'll all just get…

Mar 5 2021

Little Facts About "Little TVs" - Episode 1: "Something Wild"

Hey friends,

In case you haven't heard, we've got a new EP out called Little TVs and, to celebrate, we wanted to share some facts and stories about the creation of these songs. So, without further ado, welcome to Little…

Feb 27 2021

"Little TVs" - A lifeline, an outlet, a celebration, a memorial

Hi everyone,

They tell me it's a new year...and some days I even believe it. But boy oh boy...it's been a long haul and we ain't done yet!

BUT that doesn't mean we can't share a little good news! We're…

Jun 15 2020

"Silence"...a new song and an old problem

Hey friends,

This Friday, 6/19/2020, Bandcamp will be donating 100% of their profits to the NAACP Legal Defense Fund as part of an effort to help fight the brutal, systemic racism in this country.

We’d like to add our voice…

Jan 20 2020

50/50 in 2020 - Songs and lessons so far

Hey all,

If you had a chance to read my last email, you may remember that I set a goal for myself this year that I'm calling, "50/50 in 2020". Long story short, I want to learn 50 cover songs…

Jan 7 2020

Two songs, band name, and "50/50 in 2020"

Happy 2020, everyone!

I don’t know about you, but 2019 was a tough year for me personally. I say that even though I know I'm really lucky in almost every imaginable way. I live in relative affluence, I'm healthy, my…

Oct 18 2019

Songwriter Night / We're on the radio! / Video from FitzGerald's

Happy Friday, everyone! And a huge welcome to the new folks on the list! We really appreciate you signing up and hope you'll stick around!

Since it is Friday, probably the last thing you want is more long emails to…

Sep 4 2019

The Deli Chicago premiered our single, "A Simple Thing"

Check it out! We've been doing some press to promote our new EP and The Deli Chicago was kind enough to premiere our first single, "A Simple Thing".

Take a listen:

Aug 16 2019

EP Release / Fear, Faith, F*ck It!

Hey everyone,

I’m a really crap artist. No, I don’t mean in the big “Artist” sense of things…I’m actually pretty happy with some of my skills as a guitarist and songwriter and overall musician (which is not to say they…

Jun 21 2019

Unreliable Magic: Songs, Spells, and the "Self" (and a show!)

Greetings from the islands of Hawaii!

Sadly, no, I haven't moved or anything, but we are here on a family vacation (with the extended family...which always adds some...shall we say, "interesting" additional dynamics). I'm basically a walking sunburn waiting to…

Apr 2 2019

One Night, One Song

Hi everyone,

How did it get to be almost April already? I owe you all a real update after sending over my small novella of a blog post back in January. I'm actually kinda pissed at myself that it's taken…

Jan 16 2019

Dave Cobb and the BHAG

Let me start by saying that I really, really hate “inspirational” quotes and “spiritual” self-help books or instagram posts. I have zero school spirit, don’t root for any teams, think most forms of patriotism are shallow and knee-jerk. I don’t…

Jan 11 2019

New song demo / Having kids is no joke...

This is the first acoustic demo of a new song, "A Simple Thing". Might still tweak the lyrics and such, but I felt like it wanted to get out of my brain and onto the internet brain, so here it…

Dec 20 2018

R.I.P. Matt Lenny...Long live Kid Bear!

Hi everybody,

I'm beyond excited to share some big news with you! So, without further ado...

"Meet the new boss / Same as the old boss"

It's been a a long time coming, but we are changing…

Oct 31 2018

Rehearsal - 10/30/2018

Man...that was a fun one. We've got our little headquarters set up at our space using a hybrid acoustic/electronic setup. It's amazing what you can do with technology these days. (More on the setup later!)

Anyway, here's some snippets…

Aug 20 2018

Back in the saddle...

Hey everyone,

It's been a long winter/spring/summer on this end. Quick summary of the highlights:

Developed some vocal trouble: Turns out I sing ok thanks to years of lessons, but I actually talk wrong. So, I was starting…

Sep 28 2017

Sylvie’s Lounge / Gestures against the void

Hey everyone,

You’ve got things to celebrate. Maybe you’re happy it’s no longer 90+ degrees outside. Maybe you’re grateful for family and friends who survived earthquakes and hurricanes. Maybe you’re happy we’re not (yet) in a nuclear war. Maybe you’re…

Jul 18 2017

Thanks! - Thoughts on musical community and good people

Hey friends,

I just wanted to take a quick minute to say thanks to all of you for coming out to see us at shows, for being cool at an open mic, and generally being part of/supporting a vibrant musical…

Mailing List

Sign up now to get a free copy of the first single, "In the Garden", along with an exclusive bonus-track "campfire version". You don't want to miss it.

Shows

Solo Acoustic @ Tapistry Brewing

Saturday, October 7 @ 6:00PM — 9:00PMSat, Oct 7 @ 6:00PM — 9:00PM

Tapistry Brewing, 4236 Lake St, Bridgman

Solo acoustic show featuring a mix of classic country and blues and some of my own original tunes. Come have a beer with me!

View on Google Maps

Montrose Saloon!

Saturday, October 14Sat, Oct 14

Montrose Saloon, 2933 W. Montrose Ave, Chicago

View on Google Maps

View previous events

Music

For the Birds

Matt Lenny & The Breakdown


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For the Birds. New music by Matt Lenny & The Breakdown.

Have you felt it? You’ve felt it. That excitement when a door opens on a room you’ve dreamt of but never seen. That charge, that crackle, the sweet hurt of life as it cuts you. That’s this album.

Matt Lenny got lost in guitar as a kid. Kept him sane. Sort of saved him. He’s made albums

For the Birds. New music by Matt Lenny & The Breakdown.

Matt Lenny got lost in guitar as a kid. Kept him sane. Sort of saved him. He’s made albums before, loud ones, soft ones, rock and country and blues, but none like this.

He blew out his voice last year. Had to learn to sing again. Spent time writing. Hearing new tunes. Dreaming of the room where he and The Breakdown could not just play the songs but bring them to life. What does coming to life sound like? This.

The Breakdown is scattered all over these days: they have separate lives in Chicago and Michigan and out East, but they came together for three days to follow a path to a sound Matt only faintly heard.

Three days means no time for doubt. Fewer hours placing mikes and turning dials and punching vocal lines and perfecting perfect: more time fast tracking and finger picking and letting the music lead.

This is the sound of a band of brothers cutting through new terrain. Learning the path through songs while playing the songs. The sound of doors opening to new rooms and the joy of filling all that new space. The good life as it’s celebrated and lived. As familiar but rare as the shape birds trace in the air. -Bryan VanDyke, NYC, Fall 2022

Matt Lenny & the Breakdown is:

Matt Lenny - Vocals, Acoustic Guitar, Electric Guitar Dave Méndez - Electric Guitar, Dobro, Vocals David Jamison - Drums, Vocals Erik Vaveris - Bass, Vocals Bryan Trenis - Piano, Hammond, Rhodes, Acoustic Guitar, Vocals Bucky Hayes - Acoustic Guitar, Vocals Sonny Ratcliff - Banjo Anthony Gravino - Percussion, Guitar Kait Rose - Vocals on tracks 2 & 4 Laura Neuroth - Vocals on track 5

All songs written by Matt Lenny and published by Harmon Street Songs, ASCAP Recorded by J Kaufman at Local Legend Recording Additional recording by Matt Lenny, Bryan Trenis, and Anthony Gravino Mixed and mastered by Anthony Gravino at High Cross Sound Produced by Matt Lenny with big assists from Josh and Anthony Graphic design by Dan Spielman, Cover photo by Joshua Woroniecki This album is dedicated to Laura, Archer, and Bowie. Thanks for giving me the space, time, and support I needed to create these songs. Thanks beyond words to my amazing band for making them a reality, and to their loved ones for letting me steal them away for a long weekend. Thanks to Jim Carson for giving me back my voice. - ML

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In the Garden 3:15

Lyrics

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In the Garden

Matt Lenny & the Breakdown

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True Things 3:54

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Find Your Gold 5:09

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Wrong Time Gone 3:17

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5

Waiting on a Train 3:38

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6

Spinning Bells 2:54

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Spinning Bells

Matt Lenny & the Breakdown

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On Your Own 2:44

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Doubt 3:19

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It Adds Up 3:35

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The Other Side 3:44

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Apples 3:57

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In the Garden (Single)

Matt Lenny & The Breakdown

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The first single from our forthcoming album, For the Birds.

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In the Garden 3:15

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Little TVs

Matt Lenny & The Breakdown

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The creation of this album was a lifeline and an outlet for all 4 of us during this past, unprecedented year. Unlike our normal process of rehearsals and studio time as a group, 5 of these 6 tunes were written, arranged, and recorded without us all ever being in the same room together. There are a lot of days when I hate what the internet and computers have done to our society, but it's truly amazing that we were able to make a record like this in our homes.

If you've been taking this pandemic seriously, you can probably relate to the sense of isolation and the almost palpable nostalgia for simple gatherings and good times gone past. This EP is, in some senses, our "quarantunes" EP, but it's also a meditation on human connection: the ways a simple friendship can make all the difference, the ways we're too afraid to pursue it, the ways we fail each other completely.

Finally, we want to dedicate the last track, "Fountain of Youth" to the one and only Mark "Mouse" Brunner. Mouse was a friend of the band, an incredible musician, and a fabulous recording engineer with a spirit and a sense of humor that uplifted anyone around him. We recorded this song in his studio back in 2014 and just never got around to releasing it properly.

Recording your own music is sorta like giving yourself a haircut: you never quite have a clear perspective on what you're doing. We'd all gathered at Mouse's studio, gotten sounds, and were all set to record. We counted off and did one take of "Fountain of Youth". We got done and I remember saying, "I think we can do better than that." Mouse laughed out loud and yelled out, "You're f**king crazy! There is no possible way you can rock harder than that!"

Reader, he was correct. We did a few more takes and none of them had the spirit of that first take. I hope I've done it justice in the final mix, but we were all together in a place and time. In one room. Making music and making fun of each other. No masks, no real cares for a few hours. Making something uniquely human and never to be repeated exactly the same again. Hanging out. Rocking out. (A silly thing on paper, but it sure as hell has meant a lot to my life.)

Moments like that sure do feel far away right now, but we'll get there again. It'll never be exactly the same, but what ever is?

R.I.P., Mouse. This one's for you and for anyone and everyone else missing someone or something they love. Laptops and phones are great, but all these "Little TVs" don't quite make up for the real thing...

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Something Wild 3:38

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When She Comes Home 4:26

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Silence 4:15

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Good Times, Bad Times 3:49

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We Had a Good Time 3:21

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Fountain of Youth 6:58

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EP 2

Matt Lenny & The Breakdown

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A Simple Thing 3:27

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Rise 3:49

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Mary May 4:21

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All the News 2:12

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Here to Stay 5:21

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New York 3:42

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Troubadours and Thieves

Matt Lenny & The Breakdown

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Evelyn 3:42

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Unremarkable 4:27

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One Foot on the Road 3:30

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The Finest 2:38

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A Little Bit Flying, A Little Bit Falling 4:00

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Some People Said 5:34

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Video

This is a playlist of live performances, both solo acoustic and with the band. I'll keep adding it to it as we collect more and better video.

Photos

Photo by Dogtown Studio

GMan Tavern, 5/19/17. Photo by Jeff Smith.

Friendly Tap, 3/15/2017. Photo by Jeff Smith.

Bio

Matt Lenny is a guitarist, songwriter and singer born of Bowie and Muddy Waters. Whether playing solo acoustic or with his full band The Breakdown, his powerful songs are both lyrically rich and immediately accessible, driven by rock hooks and country blues licks.

Matt grew up in Connecticut where he obsessively listened to Led Zeppelin cassettes, but it wasn’t until he moved to Tulsa at age 15 that he started playing guitar. Although he felt out of place at the conservative churches of his new home, he found solace in guitar, which he learned through his youth group. Ironically, it was not country or gospel music that seeped in during his time in the Bible belt, it was experimental rock and pop music.

“You would have thought that I would learn about country music in Oklahoma,” Matt laughs. “Instead I discovered Radiohead, Spoon and T. Rex. Years later, I moved to New York to become a rock star and fell in love with country music.”

Matt moved to New York City after living in Chicago, playing in a couple bands and graduating from Northwestern University with a degree in Poetry and Creative Writing. “I just really fell in love with New York on a visit,” Matt says. “I actually moved there to take a break from music. I was sorta feeling like it was going nowhere and that I wanted a change. So, my plan was to move and look for a job at a non-profit or something, but I needed something in the interim and the only job offer that came through was at Matt Umanov Guitars.”

He began working at the world-famous guitar shop in Greenwich Village, where he’d regularly see a who’s who of musical talent – including PeteTownsend, Patti Smith, Bjork, Ben Harper, Rosanne Cash, Gillian Welch, David Rawlings and Led Zeppelin’s John Paul Jones – who would come in to buy guitars and have their instruments repaired while they were in town. He even started giving guitar lessons to Minnie Driver and Dashboard Confessional’s Chris Carrabba. But one visitor changed everything for him.

“I was sitting in the shop and in walks Steve Earle,” Matt says. “He picked up an acoustic guitar and just started strumming some chords. And…I don’t know how to put it except to say that, when he played G and C, it was every country song ever written. When I played G and C, it was just a couple of chords. But, when he did it, it was deep; it had soul and groove and power. It really blew my mind. I’d been touring the country with all these loud rock bands and had all these fancy guitar chops, but he had the song in every strum. I’ve been chasing that ever since.”

Matt moved back to Chicago and started a new band called The Breakdown, including some of his oldest friends like Dave Mendez (electric guitar, dobro, vocals), Erik Vaveris (bass, vocals) and David Jamison, who was the touring drummer for Hurray for the Riff Raff. Since then the band has grown in size and sound, releasing four albums. Their new album For the Birds, features this core group along with Bucky Hayes (acoustic guitar, vocals), Bryan Trenis (piano, Hammond, Rhodes, acoustic guitar, vocals), Sonny Ratcliff (banjo), Anthony Gravino (percussion, guitar) and guest vocalists Laura Neuroth and Kait Rose.

Now living in Michigan, Matt continues to pursue that powerful simplicity, with a full band and as a solo singer-songwriter. The resulting music is somewhere on the rock and roll side of Americana with simple chord changes and melodies married to heartfelt emotions and old-fashioned storytelling.

When not making music, Matt loves spending time with his family and doing Taekwondo with his kid.

"For the Birds" is Here!

Our new album has finally landed! Order CDs, bundles, or hi-res downloads now!

News

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Mailing List

Join the Community!

Shows

Music

For the Birds

Matt Lenny & The Breakdown

CD Download

In the Garden

Spinning Bells

In the Garden (Single)

Matt Lenny & The Breakdown

Stream “In the Garden”

Little TVs

Matt Lenny & The Breakdown

Stream "Little TVs"

EP 2

Matt Lenny & The Breakdown

Troubadours and Thieves

Matt Lenny & The Breakdown

Video

Photos

Bio

In the Garden

Spinning Bells