LAZORE – “Break Slowly”

LAZORE – “Break Slowly” – Single Review

As many of you out there have read on these pages of ours so far this year, I’ve been diggin’ on what LAZORE has been coming up with.  Dude put out a solid debut EP, a couple of decent singles to follow soon after like “Wanted Man” & “Just Another Day,” and to be completely truthful with ya, so far I’ve honestly yet to hear the guy make any kind of brutal mistake with the music he’s been putting out.  That’s not to say I don’t have my favorites like anyone else would, but it’s also very fair to say that LAZORE actually hasn’t put out a ‘bad’ song to-date, and that his attention to detail is pretty damn remarkable for an artist in their first year.  I’ve been trying to temper my responses behind the scenes by explaining that there are peaks and valleys on the inside of any career…and in the end, that’ll prove to be just as true about LAZORE as it would be with anyone else – it’s impossible to keep going straight UP no matter how hard we might try to.  I just don’t want the guy to crash & burn when he experiences those low moments in the years to follow, because no matter how sharp we might be in all that we do, eventually that time comes for us all.  Whether it’s a lack of inspiration, going through the motions, or simply not rising to the level of excellence we’re capable of – it literally happens to everyone at some point.  And YES I’m speaking from experience!  Of course I am.  Not only have I gone through the highs and lows of my own career hundreds of times at this point, but I get to live through that stuff again and again vicariously through the artists & bands I end up listening to & reviewing pretty much every single week in some way, shape, or form.  It doesn’t mean anyone’s less great than they were, just human.

Anyhow.  The reaper ain’t coming for LAZORE just yet, but I have to create a little suspense, don’t I?

The reality is, his latest single “Break Slowly” is without question the best tune I’ve heard from the guy to-date, and it’s a huge breakthrough in his songwriting if you want my opinion on it.  Like I was saying, it’s not like the guy has made any legitimate mistakes so far, but as I’ve mentioned in a couple reviews I’ve written on his music, I felt like we were still waiting on bit more identity in his tunes, or perhaps for them to become even more personal somehow.  “Break Slowly” provided what I was looking for from LAZORE…and I’d argue that it’s come much ahead of schedule in the grand scheme of things.  Lest we forget, it’s STILL the man’s debut year as an artist, but it’s moments like this that prove he’s moving at a very rapid pace in his evolution compared to just about everyone out there.  You name it, and I felt like this song nailed it.  Best vocals?  Yep.  Best music?  You betcha.  Best songwriting?  Absolutely.  Best hooks?  Undeniably.  That’s the caliber of cut we’re talking about when it comes to what “Break Slowly” adds to his catalog right now.  I absolutely love the way he sings the chorus, and the way the song detonates from its slow-burning mellow into a fiery admission of a pain that’s killing him…you FEEL this single from the way that LAZORE sings & plays it with such powerful force.  This is that moment where you FEEL the release of frustration turn into the triumph of a really damn good tune – you couldn’t miss it.  He might have been through some shit to get to this point in his life now, but the fact that he’s been able to articulate that through a song as fierce, confident, epic, and moving as this is…I mean…it simply proves that he’s come out completely stronger on the other side of everything he’s been through to get here.  Somewhere deep down, LAZORE will always be able to associate the two sides of his story when he sings the chorus of “Break Slowly” and summon the pain of before, in order to release the catharsis of the after…I don’t think anyone out there listening wouldn’t hear the added layer of importance and urgency that comes through the enormity of the extremes & melodic intensity you’ll find in the hooks.

So heck yeah!  This song gets a massive thumbs-up from me.  It’s a fairly mid-tempo tune, which can often be a challenge to the masses out there…but the most explosive moments of “Break Slowly” are so incredibly convincing, raw, and real, that I can’t imagine people not connecting with this song on several levels.  Because we’ve all been pushed to the limits in life at different points, have we not?  “Break Slowly” is the anthem you need to pull yourself outta the darkness and back into the light.  Mid-tempo tunes might be a tougher sell at the end of the day, but a large part of the reason that is, is simply because it can often feel like those songs never quite know if they wanna be a fast cut or a slow jam, and they end up mired in a sound that seems like sonic indecisiveness.  There ain’t NOTHING indecisive about “Break Slowly” y’all, and that’s my favorite thing about it.  LAZORE has laced this track with intent, purpose, and passion in every second from its low-key mellow vibes in the verses, to the blaze of intensity that we experience in the main hooks.  He calmly piles his thoughts, feelings, and emotions like wood on the pile, lights the match, and burns this motherfucker right down to the ground as he ignites the chorus and sends this song straight to the next level.  And you know what?  I’m stoked for the guy!  This is why adding yourself into your music is so extremely crucial…we feel those songs more than the rest and the connection they establish continues to go on long after the moment has passed.  You’ll remember hearing “Break Slowly,” and that’s probably the best compliment any artist or band can ever receive when you consider how much music there is out there in this world of ours.  You’ll get that shiver down your spine…that tingle of hearing something special…that feeling that tells you that you witnessed something extraordinary…and you’re gonna want a whole lot more of it from here on in.  He’s raised the bar for himself quite a bit with “Break Slowly” and I’ll be the first to say it’s gonna be very hard to outdo what he’s accomplished with this cut…but if there’s one thing LAZORE has proven through the course of his debut year, it’s that he’s got the desire, the want, and the will, to bring his best every time.  As long as he’s doing that…sure, he’ll still experience the peaks and valleys that we all do in the process, but he’ll also be giving each of his songs a chance to make an impact on ya, every single time.

Find out more about all-things-LAZORE from his main website at:  https://lazoremusic.com

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