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…
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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…
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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…
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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…
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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…
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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…
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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".
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…
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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…
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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…
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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…
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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…
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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…
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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…
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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…
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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…
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Jun 28 2017
This is a brand new song that I finished writing about 30...
This is a brand new song that I finished writing about 30 minutes before rehearsal. I showed it to the band and we worked up this version within about 1 hour. Recorded with a Shure Motiv MV88 on an iPhone…
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Mar 20 2017
Here’s the first full-band performance of a new song, “Doubt”,...
Here’s the first full-band performance of a new song, “Doubt”, from our show at Friendly Tap on 3/10/17. Thanks so much to everyone who came out and made it such a great evening!
Mar 8 2017
Oh…did we mention that we have a show on Friday at...
Oh…did we mention that we have a show on Friday at Friendly Tap? Yeah, well we do. And here’s another teaser from last night’s rehearsal (complete with one iffy note in the middle from yours truly). Move over, Eagles! See…
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Mar 8 2017
Alright, kids, it’s getting close! Hope to see you Friday...
Alright, kids, it’s getting close! Hope to see you Friday at Friendly Tap! https://www.facebook.com/events/305124423223676??ti=ia
Apr 5 2014
Matt Lenny & The Elm City Council @ Tonic Room, on...
Matt Lenny & The Elm City Council @ Tonic Room, on 4/3/2014
- Me and Bucky Hayes playing his tune, “Iva Louise”
- The band playing, “Come On and Join the Band”
- Dave Mendez and I getting into some ridiculous guitar battles…
Apr 5 2014
Matt Lenny & The Elm City Council @ Tonic Room, on...
Matt Lenny & The Elm City Council @ Tonic Room, on 4/3/2014
- Me and Bucky Hayes playing his tune, “Iva Louise”
- The band playing, “Come On and Join the Band”
- Dave Mendez and I getting into some ridiculous guitar battles…
Jan 29 2014
I was watching this on Monday and was saddened to hear about...
I was watching this on Monday and was saddened to hear about Pete Seeger passing later that night. R.I.P, Mr. Seeger. Thanks for the music and for all the heart and soul you put into the things you believed in…
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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
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...
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 3:380:00/3:38
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When She Comes Home 4:260:00/4:26
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Silence 4:150:00/4:15
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0:00/3:49
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We Had a Good Time 3:210:00/3:21
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Fountain of Youth 6:580:00/6:58
Stream "Little TVs"
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A Simple Thing 3:270:00/3:27
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Rise 3:490:00/3:49
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Mary May 4:210:00/4:21
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All the News 2:120:00/2:12
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Here to Stay 5:210:00/5:21
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New York 3:420:00/3:42
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Evelyn 3:420:00/3:42
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Unremarkable 4:270:00/4:27
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One Foot on the Road 3:300:00/3:30
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The Finest 2:380:00/2:38
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0:00/4:00
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Some People Said 5:340:00/5:34
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.
In 2020, I'm challenging myself to learn 50 cover songs, write 50 original songs, and make quality demos of all 100 of them. That's basically one of each per week with a couple weeks wiggle room. Here is a playlist of them in reverse chronological order (most recent first) and here's a blog post about it.
Photos
GMan Tavern, 5/19/17. Photo by Jeff Smith.
GMan Tavern, 5/19/17. Photo by Jeff Smith.
GMan Tavern, 5/19/17. Photo by Jeff Smith.
GMan Tavern, 5/19/17. Photo by Jeff Smith.
GMan Tavern, 5/19/17. Photo by Jeff Smith.
GMan Tavern, 5/19/17. Photo by Jeff Smith.
GMan Tavern, 5/19/17. Photo by Jeff Smith.
Friendly Tap, 3/15/2017. Photo by Jeff Smith.
Friendly Tap, 3/15/2017. Photo by Jeff Smith.
Friendly Tap, 3/15/2017. Photo by Jeff Smith.
Friendly Tap, 3/15/2017. Photo by Jeff Smith.
Friendly Tap, 3/15/2017. Photo by Jeff Smith.
Friendly Tap, 3/15/2017. Photo by Jeff Smith.
Friendly Tap, 3/15/2017. Photo by Jeff Smith.
Friendly Tap, 3/15/2017. Photo by Jeff Smith.
Friendly Tap, 3/15/2017. Photo by Jeff Smith.
Friendly Tap, 3/15/2017. Photo by Jeff Smith.
Friendly Tap, 3/15/2017. Photo by Jeff Smith.
Friendly Tap, 3/15/2017. Photo by Jeff Smith.
Tonic Room, Chicago
Recording at Reel Sounds, Chicago
Bar 4, Brooklyn - Photo by Adam Lerner
Bar 4, Brooklyn - Photo by Adam Lerner
Red Cherry Supper Club
Bio
“A simple thing can break your heart” is not only the first line from the first single, “A Simple Thing,” from Matt Lenny & The Breakdown's most recent EP; it’s also a manifesto of sorts for the band’s music. The song itself is three chords and a melody that, more or less, repeats throughout in different octaves, but the emotions run deep and the band plays with the dynamics and the arrangement to make something that steadily builds to a climax throughout its 3 1/2 minute runtime.
It all started with a chance encounter with country legend Steve Earle. As guitarist and songwriter Matt Lenny tells it, “I was sitting in Matt Umanov Guitars in Greenwich Village and in walks Steve Earle. 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 with all these loud rock bands (like Oh My God) and had all these chops, but he had the song in every strum. I’ve been chasing that ever since.”
Now living in Chicago, Matt continues to pursue that powerful simplicity, both 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.
“One of the things I’ve most appreciated about the various Americana traditions of songwriting is that, at the end of the day, it’s music for adults. I mean…I love a raunchy Zeppelin or Stones song as much as anything, but it’s revelatory to realize that there is drama and passion and excitement in the kind of everyday lives that most of us live. And to realize that, if you are good at it, you can put that in a song! That’s been transformative for me,” says Matt.
Matt Lenny & The Breakdown’s newest release, the simply titled "EP 2,” was independently released on September 6, 2019. The Chicago-based live band features Matt Lenny on guitar and vocals, David Jamison (Hurray for the Riff Riff) on drums and vocals, Dave Mendez (J.W. Wiliams & The Chi-Town Hustlers) on guitar and vocals and Erik Vaveris on bass.