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Oct 27, 2021 Web Exclusive By Austin Saalman

One of the year’s most intriguing releases, Jackson+Sellers’ Breaking Point is exactly the radical shakeup needed within the Americana movement for quite some time.

No strangers to the scene, singer/songwriters Jade Jackson and Aubrie Sellers each enjoyed a successful solo career before bonding long distance amidst a heightening pandemic, eventually deciding upon recording as a duo. The resultant release stands as an exhilarating slice of unflinching punk-infused American music, pleasantly surprising in its resemblances to the raw avant-garde roots rock of Mule Variations (Jackson cites Tom Waits as a lifelong hero) and thunderingly fuzzy dream pop of groups such as My Bloody Valentine. In fact, with its successfully broad interpretation of such influences, Breaking Point distinguishes itself from any release of its sort in recent memory.

Opening track “The Devil is an Angel” comes on strong, showcasing the duo’s pop-ready harmonies juxtaposed with grinding, feedback-ridden guitars, while the title track weds Jackson+Sellers’ hard-edged Americana backbone with their aforementioned evident dream pop leanings. The duo’s masterful punk fusion sets them apart from similar acts such as their blues-inflected cousins The Dead Weather, feeling less heavy handed and far more personable.

Standout tracks “Waste Your Time” and “Fair Weather” steep themselves in layers of textured neo-psychedelia, with anguished vocals still somehow recalling Alison Krauss or Patty Griffin. Punkier numbers such as “Wound Up” also shine, trembling with an assortment of garage rock revivalist rumblings. In this regard, it may be fair to suspect that they are, at least to some extent, fond of Black Rebel Motorcycle Club, as they seem to draw inspiration from a similar pool of popular music. That said, Jackson+Sellers stand proudly on their own.

Breaking Point is yet another notch in the belts of two wildly talented artists who seem to make a point of crossing over into as many genres and subgenres as they please. There is much worth admiring here and certainly an abundance to enjoy, especially for those seeking out a fresh approach to the genre by two performers with undeniably impeccable taste. (www.jacksonsellers.com)

Author rating: 8/10