If you’ve been starving for a straight-up, no-bullshit, guitar-driven rock track that feels like it crawled out of a legendary Lower East Side dive bar with a smirk, then “Break Out” by The Side Effect is your fix. This isn’t some lab-produced, algorithm-friendly snoozefest; this is the sound of three seasoned songwriters who eat, sleep, and breathe guitar tones, finally locking into a groove that feels like coming home.
The track, from their upcoming album ‘Poisoned by the Sunshine’, is a 2-minute-and-27-second adrenaline shot. From the first second, it does exactly what the title promises: it BREAKS OUT. The tempo somehow always pushes, and this song is the embodiment of that aggressive, forward-charging pace. It’s got that raw, early-REM-on-Hib-Tone energy, a jangle that’s both urgent and beautiful.
You’ve got the triple-threat guitar attack of Chris Flood (on vocals and guitar), Jay Wilkins (on bass and vocals), and Phil Yanos (on guitar and vocals). These aren’t kids; they’re veterans of the NYC alt-scene, having bled on the stages of CBGB and Brownies in bands like The Accidents and Dimestore Darlings. You can hear every second of that history in “Break Out”. This isn’t just technical wankery; it’s what gives the song its texture—clean, bright lines and grinding, chiming distortion that spills colour everywhere.
And holding down the fort with a goddamn massive groove is drummer Graham Nalle, a guy who sharpened his chops with Brazilian and West African rhythms. Don’t think for a second that influence doesn’t add a unique, propulsive feel to what could have been a standard rock beat. He’s the engine, and Flood, Wilkins, and Yanos are the nitro-boosted fuel.
“Break Out” is a proof of everything The Side Effect stands for: well-made songs, legendary guitar tones, and the unshakeable feeling that rock and roll is very much alive. This is the real deal.
The Side Effect Socials: Bandcamp