Sarah Borges and the Broken Singles defy categorization

[Jahfin]

http://charlotte.creativeloafing.com/gyrob...tent?oid=278368

MIXED SINGLES: Sarah Borges and the Broken Singles Liz Linder

By Jeff Hahne

Who says you have to follow one style? On their sophomore album, Diamonds in the Dark, Sarah Borges and the Broken Singles combine hints of country, rockabilly, blues and rock. It's a formula that works -- instead of sounding like some kind of mix tape, Borges' vocals remain a constant and the music's tone is the tie that binds.

"This record was really a product of us being on tour a lot to support the last record," Borges says by phone from her Massachusetts home. "We learned how to play together as a band a lot better. The first record was me kind of writing a bunch of songs and then finding people to play them. This one was borne out of us getting to know each other musically and personally. It's a pretty accurate representation of what we're like as a band and also what the live show's like."

The band's live show is where it thrives and appears to have the most fun. Don't be surprised if they're jumping up on tables or creating a stir when the music pace quickens. "We can climb on top of the bar and stuff -- you can't really do that during a weeper," Borges says. "Actually, you could do that during a weeper if you were going to commandeer the whiskey, but you'd really have to think that out before you get caught."

The one thing the band has no problem getting a hold of is fans. They're steadily building an increasing fan base around the country with their hometown buzz in Boston at a fever pitch. This time around, the band will make its first stop in Louisiana.

"It's always a little daunting to play in a city we've never been to, but we're lucky enough to have a label that's a pretty good size behind us," Borges says of Sugar Hill Records. "At least most times, (the cities) know that we're coming ..."

Her band's sound may elicit thoughts of the South more than something from north of the Mason Dixon, but Borges is quick to point out a thriving roots music scene in Massachusetts. She also notes that her bandmates are from the South, which may add to the music's flavor. It's not every day that you hear pedal steel in rockabilly or blues.

"It's always been in our band -- right from the beginning," she says. "It's gotten to the point where I write songs with that sound in my ear. It just sounds so pretty. Mike (Castellana) is starting to use it with a distortion pedal or like you'd use an electric guitar and it makes for some pretty, weirdo things."

Borges says if the band were just starting out now, they'd probably just be known as The Broken Singles. In the early days, she would write songs and then go find people to play them. These days, there is more of a collaborative effort in the writing process, though Borges still takes the lead.

They're getting ready to start work on their third album, which Borges hopes will be finished by late summer or early fall. "We thought about the last two and Diamonds in the Dark is definitely representative of what we are as a band -- personality-wise and taste-wise," she says. "It's kind of a summary of all of our record collections put together because we lived together for years now. I think our goal is to make it as energetic and live sounding as coming to see us at a show."

Her songwriting tends to follow more of a story line. She recently wrote a song with the band about meeting people at a party -- "a '50s, bossa nova, cocktail party kind of song." She usually has an idea written out before approaching the band to fill in the blanks and little details.

However, she notes that every once in a while the band will write something during a practice and "flesh it out there, too."

Her songwriting has changed over the years. What started out as indie rock -- "You can say whatever the heck you want because it doesn't have to rhyme or make sense" -- has changed to something more personal. Which also adds to the pressure.

"The lyrics are the hardest part," Borges says. "There's totally the potential that someone's gonna laugh at you. People don't tend to laugh as much at a chord progression as they do at really stupid lyrics."

Sarah Borges and the Broken Singles will perform at The Evening Muse in Charlotte on March 4 at 8 p.m. Tickets are $12.

[JethroTull]

http://charlotte.creativeloafing.com/gyrob...tent?oid=278368

MIXED SINGLES: Sarah Borges and the Broken Singles Liz Linder

By Jeff Hahne

Who says you have to follow one style? On their sophomore album, Diamonds in the Dark, Sarah Borges and the Broken Singles combine hints of country, rockabilly, blues and rock. It's a formula that works -- instead of sounding like some kind of mix tape, Borges' vocals remain a constant and the music's tone is the tie that binds.

"This record was really a product of us being on tour a lot to support the last record," Borges says by phone from her Massachusetts home. "We learned how to play together as a band a lot better. The first record was me kind of writing a bunch of songs and then finding people to play them. This one was borne out of us getting to know each other musically and personally. It's a pretty accurate representation of what we're like as a band and also what the live show's like."

The band's live show is where it thrives and appears to have the most fun. Don't be surprised if they're jumping up on tables or creating a stir when the music pace quickens. "We can climb on top of the bar and stuff -- you can't really do that during a weeper," Borges says. "Actually, you could do that during a weeper if you were going to commandeer the whiskey, but you'd really have to think that out before you get caught."

The one thing the band has no problem getting a hold of is fans. They're steadily building an increasing fan base around the country with their hometown buzz in Boston at a fever pitch. This time around, the band will make its first stop in Louisiana.

"It's always a little daunting to play in a city we've never been to, but we're lucky enough to have a label that's a pretty good size behind us," Borges says of Sugar Hill Records. "At least most times, (the cities) know that we're coming ..."

Her band's sound may elicit thoughts of the South more than something from north of the Mason Dixon, but Borges is quick to point out a thriving roots music scene in Massachusetts. She also notes that her bandmates are from the South, which may add to the music's flavor. It's not every day that you hear pedal steel in rockabilly or blues.

"It's always been in our band -- right from the beginning," she says. "It's gotten to the point where I write songs with that sound in my ear. It just sounds so pretty. Mike (Castellana) is starting to use it with a distortion pedal or like you'd use an electric guitar and it makes for some pretty, weirdo things."

Borges says if the band were just starting out now, they'd probably just be known as The Broken Singles. In the early days, she would write songs and then go find people to play them. These days, there is more of a collaborative effort in the writing process, though Borges still takes the lead.

They're getting ready to start work on their third album, which Borges hopes will be finished by late summer or early fall. "We thought about the last two and Diamonds in the Dark is definitely representative of what we are as a band -- personality-wise and taste-wise," she says. "It's kind of a summary of all of our record collections put together because we lived together for years now. I think our goal is to make it as energetic and live sounding as coming to see us at a show."

Her songwriting tends to follow more of a story line. She recently wrote a song with the band about meeting people at a party -- "a '50s, bossa nova, cocktail party kind of song." She usually has an idea written out before approaching the band to fill in the blanks and little details.

However, she notes that every once in a while the band will write something during a practice and "flesh it out there, too."

Her songwriting has changed over the years. What started out as indie rock -- "You can say whatever the heck you want because it doesn't have to rhyme or make sense" -- has changed to something more personal. Which also adds to the pressure.

"The lyrics are the hardest part," Borges says. "There's totally the potential that someone's gonna laugh at you. People don't tend to laugh as much at a chord progression as they do at really stupid lyrics."

Sarah Borges and the Broken Singles will perform at The Evening Muse in Charlotte on March 4 at 8 p.m. Tickets are $12.

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[Jahfin]

http://www.newsobserver.com/442/story/973241.html

Band likes to keep its sound timeless

By Ed Condran, Correspondent

Sarah Borges deserves a break, but she refuses to take time off. After Borges and her Broken Singles -- who have been on the road for nine months -- finish up touring behind their breakthrough sophomore release "Diamonds in the Dark," they will go back into the studio to record a third album.

Expect Borges and the Broken Singles to preview the fresh material Sunday at Raleigh's Berkeley Cafe. "We're going to start work on the songs next week," Borges says. "But we're still going to play the songs at some shows so we can work out the kinks. I don't want to write a song and record it immediately. I don't know how people do that. I have to air the songs out. So the people in Raleigh get to hear what we're working on."

Local fans will also experience plenty of the justifiably acclaimed "Diamonds in the Dark," which is an eclectic delight. The gritty and playful Borges and her band -- guitarist Mike Castellana, bassist Binky and drummer Rob Dulaney -- veers from torch songs to rockabilly, twangy country to melodic pop.

"We can't help but run the gamut," Borges says. "We have four distinct personalities. We love to go from rock to country to whatever."

Some of the most effective tracks Borges recorded are covers. Versions of X's' "Come Back to Me" and Tom Waits' "Blind Love" are featured on "Diamonds."

"X is just one of my favorite bands ever," she says. "We were simply paying homage to them. What I love about X is that they are a quintessential American rock band without the drama. As for the Waits track, well, that was a strange one. It was something we heard on the stereo, and we simply decided to take a crack at it."

Weaned on such '90s indie rockers as Archers of Loaf and Swervedriver, Borges, who resembles a punky, edgy Sandra Bullock, writes songs in a timeless style that has more in common with X and Waits than many of her contemporaries.

"I write in an honest manner, and that's why the songs sound like they do," she says. "I'm not trying to be pretentious or trendy. If you start quoting MySpace, I think that's when you start to get into trouble. I would rather not have anyone look back at what I do and think, 'That sounds really 2008.' But I don't think I have to worry about that, since I don't write songs in a way that screams a particular year."

A large part of Borges and the Broken Singles' appeal is their typically loose, raucous live shows.

"When we go out there, we just want to play like it's the best party in town," she says. "I just want to have fun. That's what I always looked for when I was going to shows."

And at the end of them, Borges says she's often spent.

"I'm not just tired physically. I'm tired emotionally since a lot of my songs are emotionally tiring. But it's a good kind of tired. It's like running a marathon. I leave everything I have on that stage."

Info

Who Sarah Borges and the Broken Singles with The Eilen Jewell Band

When 7 p.m. Sunday

Where Berkeley Cafe, 217 W. Martin St., Raleigh

Cost $10 in advance; $12 day of show

Details 821-0777