Here’s what some are saying, “Rarely does a simple acoustic project turn into something as ambitious as Oneonta, New York’s THE CAST BEFORE THE BREAK.” The bio written by Dave Graupman (written well, I might add) explains, “TJ Foster started the group as an outlet to explore new facets of his music, but with the addition of guitarists Jeremy Carter and Jordan Stewart, bassist John Cannon and drummer/producer Ben Hemingway, a much more developed sound emerged.”

“Understanding the Universe” from As Your Shoulders Turn On You starts with some nice, easy keyboard (for which I am a sucker) but then this sound experiment kicks up to something with a bit more energy. Lo and behold, just as the listener gets used to that pace, the keyboard and lilting vocals return. “Agnosia” is a particularly simple song, but not in the understanding sense. It may take the first-time listener awhile to get the message. I like the Stones/Beatles feel it evokes, along with the 21^st century new feel.

The music is, indeed, diverse. It may also be free. Here’s what Foster said, “If you can’t afford our CD, burn it from a friend. Music deserves to be heard. And this record, as powerful as we’ve attempted to make it, needs to be shared with the world. We love our fans, and there’s nothing we wouldn’t try and do for them.”

I like the statement/theme idea. It seems I heard a lot more of that back in my youth (1960s). The group signed with Red Dragon Records and may be touring a lot.

The Cast Before The Break on MySpace

Tags: indie, the cast before the break, music, independent music, indie music