joanna newsom, radiohead, explosions in the sky, tv on the radio, broken social scene, slint, d'angelo, black star, slayer, outkast, godspeed! you black emperor, the boredoms (live), hum, sufjan stevens, neutral milk hotel, fugazi, bad brains, nina simone, mastodon, chuck mingus, converge, liars, mewithoutyou
To order copies of our debut album Procession, click the PayPal button below:
Procession-------$10
Reviewed
Synthesis Magazine
And A Few To Break: Procession (Relatively Conscious Records)
By
Rob Reeves
Jan 22-28, 2007
I wish I would have had this album a few weeks sooner than I did so I could have submitted it as my album of the year for 2006. This is a masterpiece.
I don’t even know what category to put it under, and iTunes merely lists it as “unclassifiable.” The closest I can come is to say it’s prog rock made in
the spirit of punk while listening to a huge amount of post-rock. The virtuosity it possesses is evident throughout, and even during the simpler parts of the songs, the composition is impeccable. The album as a whole is very well put together, with songs flowing seamlessly into one another, culminating in a 20-minute epic spread over three movements. Please, I
implore you, buy this album.
Reviewed
Soundcheck Magazine
And A Few To Break: Procession (Relatively Conscious Records)
By
Andromeda Ross
Harold Kushner is cited as having said that "it is not the fear of death, of our lives ending, that haunts our sleep so much as the fear...that as far as the world is concerned, we might as well never have lived." If this is true, then the sometime subject of And a Few to Break's Procession need never have worried. The San Francisco band's lyrics contain clear images of everyday and life-changing events and the people who influence them, as well as more ambiguous plays on words such as "weep on weapons/we pawn weapons", giving us pause as we consider meaning. It's their subversion of a tendency for some music to wallow in our emotions without ever showing that we have learned from the initial drama, however, that makes them so interesting.
Citing so many influences of seemingly divergent natures, including Nina Simone, Converge, Sufjan Stevens and more, it seems difficult to believe that such an eclectic debut album could take you on a journey of such mature nature; but it does. We travel with them, alternately treated one moment to a high-energy post-punk sound, raw vocals that show great potential and stimulating phrases that refuse to give everything away, then suddenly dropped the next moment to a more melodic energy, giving us the chance to absorb the lyrics and take something of the lesson for ourselves.
This challenging road starts personal, recalling past relationships and loss, then moves to a more global position, speaking of rebellion, anger and a severe disappointment in the current political climate. Finally, only getting better with each track, we find ourselves coming back to an inner position of resolve and purpose. Something has been gained from loss, and the teachings were not in vain. The final trilogy, "Procession: Death Becomes You", with the words "death becomes you/when it takes your love/and makes you its messenger", makes the "lesson" all too clear: those who are loved are never forgotten.
- Andromeda Ross
Reviewed
SF Station
And A Few To Break: Procession (Relatively Conscious Records)
By
Lynne Angel
March 8, 2007
A stunning debut from San Francisco locals And A Few To Break. This epic, survivalist approach to post hardcore sounds at once like everything and nothing you have ever heard. These fellas have something to fight for and this becomes quickly evident within the first few scream-along seconds of Procession.
Recorded at John Vanderslice’s Tiny Telephone Studios with Aaron Prellwitz manning the board (the capable hands that brought us Hella, Neil Young, and The Mountain Goats), this record is an all-out showcasing of the virtuosity of each band member coupled with an enthusiastic and refreshing approach to songwriting and structural concept.
Procession is one of those albums that practically makes your ears itch in aural sense memory. It is an onslaught of overlapping stylistic inspiration, paying homage to their influences but done with the thoughtful and artful skill of a true admirer. Just when you think you can place a certain sound, categorize a chorus, or classify a progression, the entire mood shifts, the feeling is gone and you are left reeling.
This quintet can change a mood like a Mid-western storm system, jumping from sun to ice and back again. Lead singer Brady’s vocals are tender and sly, moving through the album with an under-emphasized sense of style and grace where most vocalists would have chosen a more obvious and aggressive approach. They creep, whisper, and explode at will, leaving room for the assault of guitar dueling and rhythmical power-housing that sweeps through Procession, broken only by velveteen instrumentals and sinuous wails. It is these lulls that give us breath, lending life to sorry souls, providing fuel for the fire.
The album is seamless, a series of tracks merging into one another, reinventing themselves in the process and ending with the epic “Procession” trilogy. And while the expansiveness of sound and concept can at times be overwhelming, these guys are so far ahead of the game; it’s a forgivable offense in a one-minute world, and well worth the enigma.
Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
Reviewed
SF Weekly
And A Few To Break: Procession (Relatively Conscious Records)
By
Nate Cavalieri
Dec 13, 2006
Like most records from post-punk and hardcore innovators, the debut LP from And A Few To Break feels like an urgent and necessary invention, and Procession collects messages of political, emotional, and musical revolution. This might be expected from a band that takes its name from politico-hardcore act Refused's lyrics ("I've got a bone to pick with capitalism, and a few to break"), but the San Franciscogroup's strengths, ably demonstrated in tunes like "KIS" and "Line of Fire," lies in its assured balance of influences. Whether it's the cowbell-hammering, gang-sing that evokes The Ex, or a guitar-backed howl that brings to mind '90s post-alls like At The-Drive In, Cave In, and the preceding batch of D.C. innovators, And a Few's passionate playing demonstrates that its members are just as skilled at listening as they are at performing. Despite moments of individual virtuosity, the most exciting moments on Procession come with the emotionally gnarled wreck of a final three songs, a sprawling trilogy of "Procession: Death Becomes You," "Procession: When It Takes Your Love," and "Procession: And Makes You Its Messenger." But by the end of Procession's wild ride — from apocalyptic guitar terror to bucolic nylon string serenity — the intertwining themes of love, death, loss, and redemption combine into a stunning message.
Jamie and Sam meet Paul, the only bass playing, drum punishing, heirloom farm owning, two-kid-and-a-wife-having, hair salon/art gallery running, bonsai tree grooming 29 year old in the world who just so happens to want to join up.
Over the course of the next year, Brady and Mark hear the rumors of what is to come in San Francisco and they trickle into the city. (http://www.andafewtobreak.com/site.html)
you're not dead, you're very much alive and you're ringing in the new year the best way possible - by rocking the f%!k out!
you are a true talent and it makes me sad to see musicians like yourselves dissolve. I remember seeing you open for From Monument to Masses and it made the night inspiring. wish you all the best in every way
Thank you for the two sections of Friday's Chronicle. I sure hope everything turns out OK for Jorge the taxi driver. However, I did discover a compact disc stuck in the pages. So if you're missing one, you can find it in the KCSB music library into which I took the liberty of adding it. Just so you know.
Fondly, Devon the Sound Circus Spectacular Wednesdays 10-Midnite 91.9 FM SB http://www. kcsb. org
i REALLY REALLY need to see you guys man. i cant get enough of procession. if you tour and you need any help for Arizona, anything like booking, promoting, even a place to stay. hit me up or visit
got plans this saturday? if not, we beseech you to come watch us share the stage with philadelphia's insanely talented PATTERN IS MOVEMENT at the BIKE KITCHEN. seriously, this show is going to be unreal.
that's:
Pattern Is Movement
Parker Street Cinema
Worker Bee
SATURDAY, MARCH 29
7:00pm - 10:00pm
THE BIKE KITCHEN
1256 Mission @ Laskie
Duuude, that LaQueen girl below me is a serial stalker. Okay, anyway, happy new year, my favorite local band AAFTB!!! Well, in a few hours, that is. So I told all my friends that you guys'll be performing 10 times in January. Yup! THANKS! :)
dudes! I love this procession cut-up!!! like bits and pieces of all my favorite AAFTB tunes. okay, i can't wait 'til f*ckin 2010 to see you dorks. too funny. i seriously miss you guys. get on stage NOW! -your favorite scenester
Oh not a problem, thank you for creating such good music. Yeah Procession came and it is awesome! Thanks for sending it. I love what you guys are doin. Good stuff man. I hope in the future you guys can continue to produce some more good music, but if it's not meant to be, then it isn't. That would be unfortunate though...
That's cool you guys like Montana. You guys have been to Billings before? I assume you guys haven't play here, have you? Because we never really get any good bands to come through.
Hm. I hope that this hiatus/break-up thing *is* just a temporary state of affairs...either way, it's a terrible loss to the music fans of SF and I'm very sorry to hear about it. On the one hand, I understand how disappointing the whole band thing can be, but you guys are just way too good to let this project go like that. If anyone's asking my opinion, that is.
I've had this nagging sensation rolling around in my head that I haven't seen your name mentioned in the gig listings lately, so I figured I'd stop by and see what's what.
What's all this I'm reading about breaking up? It's a put-on, right? That would be truly terrible, if true--if you have called it a day, might I strongly suggest a re-think on that move? That strikes me as hasty and downright ill-considered...for what one blowhard's unsolicited opinion is worth.
hey there, thanks for the comment on my page! you know, it's not a matter of being sweet. i genuinely LOVE that song (and pretty much every other freaking song you guys play)! You know I do. I've been raving about it ever since I met you guys in that basement. So, yeah.
