The Breedings

"[Fayette is] solidly a record made by two people who grew up in the South, and know it and love it, and know its musical traditions and love them. - Brand New Kind of...

“Polished and professional…an impressive offering.” - Kentucky Monthly

“A heady mix of classic country styles with passionate sibling harmonies” - Maverick Magazine

“The deceptively simple songs combine robust melodies with unassuming arrangements and the Breedings’ wonderful vocals for a charming Americana album that’s as unpretentious and sincere as the band’s name.” - American Songwriter

"[The Breedings] have the sort of blood-born musical empathy that makes a genuine difference to the music." - The Nashville Scene

"...a refreshing mix of classic rock and folk. Just a cool vibe all the way through. Think Fleetwood Mac meets Bob Dylan and you’ve got The Breedings in this project...It created this whole throwback vibe to the album for me where this might’ve been created in the 70s and printed on vinyl. It’s a timeless creation that is cool and fresh with deep, thought-provoking lyrics." - Focus on the 615

"[Laughing at Luck is] clearly not a pop record, but not really a country-ish record either, it's a lovely mixture of both. Definitely recommended..." - captainsdead.com

"Erin Breeding has pipes I’d stack up against any country singer out there. She takes songs that are already well-constructed — great melodies, slick production and steady songwriting — and elevates them to another level." - thewoundedjukebox.com

"Both Erin's raspy, strong vocals (that bring to mind rock icons of long ago) and Willie's whip smart songwriting make The Breedings worth knowing" - roominmd.com

‘Cheap Vodka Rain’ opens with the kind of thing Will Oldham himself would be proud of, however the question that remains is is the record as good as Bonnie PB would manage? Whilst that may not be entirely fair or relevant Oldham does provide something of a benchmark for ‘good’ country and for want of a better phrase, bad country. Luckily for Breeding ‘Cheap Vodka Rain’ is a record that is heavy on the genuine and gladly lacks the moments that have pushed country further and further from the (credible) mainstream since the advent of rock ‘n’ roll.

Perhaps closer to the truth is that this is an Americana record; it’s got the big production, the slide guitars and the lonesome swagger that could only come from the states. The lyrics, instrumentation the whole damn thing screams STARS AND STRIPES in capitals – which undoubtedly for some will be a step too far. Sadly the strongest moment on the record is probably the momentous opener ‘White Dress’ which has more balls that the other ten tracks saddled up and loaded with pistols, spurs and draped in star spangled banners.

The familiar clich? returns as the record draws to a close ‘Be Right Here’ could well have been lifted from Bon Jovi’s Young Guns OST?which is a comment not to be taken lightly. Whilst this is without doubt not a record aimed at the daytime TV market you’d be forgiven for thinking it was; it doesn’t try to be the most exciting record you’ve ever heard and boy, does it tel - subba-cultcha.com

Willie Breeding has a lot to apologize for on Cheap Vodka Rain. Eleven tales of emotion, sadness, and regret inhabit this disc, which at times comes across as a drunken phone call at 2 am you know you’re going to feel worse for having done this, but yet nothing will stop you from having done it.¦nbsp; Mostly country fried rock, songs like “White Dress” and “Really Gotta Go” struggle to attain Harvest-era Neil Young in terms of songwriting, but the music does the job quite well.

Cheap Vodka Rain is augmented by some excellent steel guitar work, and wouldn’t feel out of place on Bill Mallonee’s _Audible Sigh_. “Summer 5” is a song of regret, and “With Your Costume On” offers apology but no atonement for its character.¦nbsp; “As Long” shows a man hanging on for dear life: “I’m gonna love you as long as you let me stay.”

Titles like “Grey Skies,” “Cold When We Met,” and “Bruises” make the events seem authentic either Breeding is that good at conveying a mood or these songs have some autobiographical nature.¦nbsp; “Be Right Here” portrays a man hoping she will return, but he is resigned enough not to be hopeful about it.

So, if you’ve got the relationship blues, or are feeling depressed by the rainy weather, Willie Breeding knows how you feel. He’ll help you wallow in your misery, and you could do much worse for company. - tollbooth.org

Willie Breeding may not be pushing the musical envelope on his new disc, but he didn’t have to. Combining classic, country pedal steel and fiddle with a mix of honky-tonk piano and pop guitar is more than enough to keep things interesting.
Sounding a little like Wilco or The Wallflowers, the eleven alt-country tunes shine. They mix pop and country, providing a solid foundation for Willie’s melancholy tales. Far from winning any American Idol contests, Willie’s less-than-stellar voice actually compliments the “heart on your sleeve” lyrics. It adds a sense of genuine emotion to the tracks, which an auto-tuned voice might lack.
Title track “Cheap Vodka Rain” is as solid as they come. “Really Gotta Go” is another standout gem. Listening to these wonderful tunes, you can only imagine their amazing potential during a live performance. - www.harderbeat.com

It is always good to have friends and especially ones that are talented. Brooklyn singer/songwriter Willie Breeding called upon his buddies in Marah to lend a hand to his new record Cheap Vodka Rain which is a perfect complement to his folk country vocal delivery. The record comes complete with all the rock country staple instruments like the mandolin, pedal steel, fiddle, organ and backing harmonies that bring each song to their pinnacle. Breeding offers up a sincere and honest album that is great for those days when your sorrows seem to be circulating so you might as well let Willie share his! - firenote.blogspot.com

On Willie Breeding's debut full-length Cheap Vodka Rain the Brooklyn-based (by way of Richmond, KY) musician has crafted a pleasing effort that's steeped in age-old country, acoustic folk music and singer/songwriter fare from the early '70s.

The entire album was recorded in just a mere two days in a Brooklyn studio and the immediacy of the performances on these 11 tracks is evident - with stellar playing from a host of various NYC musicians. Despite blowing through this whirlwind session in very little time, the overall production and arrangements (courtesy of Dave Bielanko) are sumptuous and beautifully thought out - with haunting pedal steel, mandolin, fiddle and even the occasional Spanish horn melding with piano, a taut rhythm section and acoustic & electric guitars (the latter, which brings one of the standout tracks, "Bruises," to a fierce and fiery conclusion).

The album isn't without fault, however. Breeding's voice often doesn't sound fully-realized on a number of these songs - as if he's got his head into the delivery, but hasn't yet fully convinced his heart. The other thing that tends to weigh down this effort is that many of the songs are downtrodden and filled with sorrow. Now this may be a part of life (our perhaps more accurately part of Breeding's life while writing these numbers), but when he's got gems like the upbeat and poppier alt-country title track and "Cold When We Met" it would've been nice to mix in more of these up-tempo numbers. Still you can't fault the sadness of Gram Parsons that visits the beautiful "With Your Costume" or the sound of a young Ryan Adams on the song "Really Gotta Go."

The end result on Cheap Vodka Rain showcases an artist with strong songwriting skills that's also capable of corralling a talented group of like-minded musicians to pump further life into his songs. Breeding certainly shows his potential on this record. Here's hoping that he brings it to fruition on further releases. - concertlivewire.com

Willie Breeding, whose recordings tip a cap to Hank and Willie, brings that old-timey, soaring white-boy country and blues back to the people. Breeding’s new LP, Cheap Vodka Rain, never hits the alcoholic low that the title suggests, opting instead for soaring tunes about lost love, heartache and what happens when relationships run out of the good ol’ days. The recording brings to mind a 21st century version of Glen Campbell’s “Wichita Lineman.” Instead of those over-produced ’70s strings, Breeding has imbued his songs with pop sensibility and a gaggle of musicians who accentuate the subtle melodies in his tunes with zealous flair. Just wait till the weather gets warm and you can sit in the back of your truck with some banquet beer and enjoy this contemporary country gem. - leoweekly.com

In the world of alt. country songwriters, Willie Breeding is as genuine an article as they come. Cheap Vodka Rain is a collection of eleven songs with enough twang to produce a few tears in a few people’s beers yet Breeding and his band never skimp on the rock and roll. Breeding’s outstanding songcraft is on display from start to finish, with nary a weak cut in the bunch.

Cheap Vodka Rain kicks off with “White Dress”; drenched in shimmering steel guitar and stacked harmonies, the song gets its form from a well-constructed chord progression and its spirit from a great melody, the first of many. Arguably, the album’s most tuneful moments come in the ballad “With Your Costume On”, on which Breeding’s confident yet world-weary voice paints a vivid picture of longing and heartache. Other stellar cuts include the first-rate ballad “Bruises” which could make a home both on country radio and an indie kid’s iPod. The track features some great guitar outros from producer/Marah leader Dave Bielanko whose presence is felt but never overshadows Breeding’s considerable talent.

Also worth mentioning are the Beatles-gone-country shuffle of “Grey Skies” and the organ-laced “Cold When We Met”. While these tracks distinguish themselves a bit from the pack, the album is a consistent triumph for Breeding and an eye-opener for the rest of us. - popmatters.com

"The songwriting, as well as the music itself and the lyrics, hold up with the best of the genre and even seem to explore new musical territory." - playbackstl.com