Melissa Etheridge - Breakdown

"There's a place that we must go: into the soul, into the heart, into the dark" sings Melissa Etheridge in "Into the Dark"; it might serve as the refrain for the entire album, her first since 1995's Your Little Secret. In Breakdown, the singer-songwriter returns to the studio recharged and with a newfound confessional maturity that is at once vulnerable and searingly direct. Despite her phenomenal successes, Etheridge confronts the insecurities of obsessive desire ("Angels Would Fall," with its intricate overlay of religious imagery, touches a new level compared to the savage rawness of her classic "Like the Way I Do"), a bitter breakup ("Stronger than Me"), and an adolescent's confused sexual identity ("Mama I'm Strange"). This journey into the heart of darkness comprises not only sharp-edged self-reflection but also the painful vision of "Scarecrow," a drum & bass-anchored lament for gay murder victim Matthew Shepard. There's a therapeutic sense of catharsis throughout that makes the serenity of "My Lover" and "Sleep" seem like a hard-earned conclusion. With her vocals steely, acid-washed, and forthright as ever, Etheridge and coproducer/lead guitarist John Shanks concoct a rich and tightly webbed acoustic-and-amplified soundscape. Several of the songs have a sameness of tone, but Etheridge's passion never sounds fake, whether in the guitar-charged chorus of the title track or "Enough of Me"'s gently rising chords. And in its total effect, Etheridge's Breakdown sounds a lot more like a breakthrough to still a higher level. --Tom May Amazon.com

Beautifully Done...Deeply Emotional

Melissa Etheridge reaches deep into the depths of her soul for this one. The album consists of 11 tracks that will touch you emotionally in some way. These heartfelt songs speak to the lonely and outcast. Feelings of break-ups, finding oneself, love lost and found, bigotry, honesty, and the confusing feelings of sexuality are the themes of this wonderful album..

Etheridge's voice is beautiful and soothing, and she captures just the right emotions and feelings for each song. In the song "Scarecrow" which she dedicates to the memomry of Matthew Shepard, his family and friends, she says :
"showers of your crimson blood
seep into a nation calling up a flood
thinly veiled intolerance
bigotry and hate....

I can't forget hard as I try
this silhoutte against the sky"

Other songs included are of course,the powerful "Breakdown", "Angels Would Fall", a very touching, "Mama I'm Strange",, and the beautiful "Sleep".(See buying info for complete track listings).

The music, musicians, and Melissa are outstanding. The album is an excellent quality, and includes a fold out pamphlet with all the words to the songs. It runs a little over 50 minutes in total. The CD is enhanced for viewing on a pc, and has instructions for pc and mac users (Quicktime 3.0 or better is required).

Etheridge fans will get lost deeply in this beautifully done album.

Laurie

also recommended:Boys On The Side: Original Soundtrack Album
June 22, 2005

BREAKDOWN...TRULY

After a hiatus of 4 years from "Your Little Secret" to "Breakdown", Melissa expirienced many different stages of life, motherhood, divorce, love, and fame(criticism over her lifestyle), some of this would be consider perfect stage for some killer self-written tracks, but Breakdown, found Melissa more tame and less clever than her previous albums, the record it's not that bad, but lacks of innovation or something else, to propell the album to a higher level, the album is just flat, outstanding in the album release cuts Enough Of Me, Angels Would Fall, and the unrelease track Into The Dark. But the rest of the album is soon fogetable, and not as deep as Yes I Am, and not as rocker as Your Little Secret, and not even raw as her debut, no wonder this was the beggining of the end for Etheridge, whose power cleverness returned in her next album "In This Skin" but by that time radio has given up on her tunes, so sad. But it's all because of this, not a bad album, just the average. May 16, 2004

Honest and blunt as always

Melissa Etheridge had gone four long years without releasing an album. Being a long-time fan, I was waiting impatiently for "Breakdown". The day it came out, I drove twenty-five miles, the nearest music store from my town, to buy the CD. However, I only had one hour and a half to get back home to watch "That 70's Show". That day, I listened to it. I discovered that "Breakdown's" quality was worth the long adventure.

She pours her heart and soul honestly and bluntly through every track she sings. "Angels Would Fall" stands out the entire CD. "Scarecrow" is a magnificent, heartfelt dedication to the late Matthew Shepard. "Breakdown", the track, expresses how "nuts" she goes sometimes, one of the more honest of the CD.

"Breakdown's" raw emotions prove that one could debate if Etheridge is the next Janis Joplin. Any fan of either of the two brilliant artists will love this CD. July 5, 2003

almost as good as debut

This CD is almost as good as her 1st CD - which is the best one! Why it took so long for her to become popular is beyond me, this CD returns to those pre-commercial days, however. EXCELLENT October 1, 2002

Best of the best.

This is one of the best albums of all time. You know an album is good when you keep going back to it, over and over again. This is a veritable addiction! Every time my wife and I get in the car, this album ends up in the player.

"Breakdown" is a true classic. "Mama I'm Strange" is eerily haunting with a really cool guitar riff. Everything else on this album stands easily on its own for quality of writing and musicianship.

If you want a really good album that isn't a waste of time and money, then get this one. It will be an old friend in no time. February 14, 2002

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