Things Unbroken (2008)

$12.00 - CD

Things Unbroken saw Allen's return to famed Suma Studios and engineer Paul Hamann.  Don Dixon was once again on board for production detail, and he brought in drummer Will Rigby.  Rigby is known as a founding member of the band the Db's, and recorded and toured extensively with Steve Earl (Jerusalem, Transcendental Blues and more.) The 3 together proved to be a treasure trove of rock and roll knowledge for Allen, and produced some of his most highly acclaimed work including the folky "Odessa."  The album was recorded initially over a 3 day period, and finished at both Allen and Dixon's home studios.  The album also includes Marti Jones on "Welcome to the Bigs."

Things Unbroken began Allen's relationship with Bug Music Publishing whose New York offices released it world-wide via the internet. Chicago film-maker Tom Comerford made a short film based on the song "Odessa".  During the making of the album Allen was also commissioned to write the soundtrack for Cogswell Hall women's shelter for a video.

"Things Unbroken sounds like a classic rock record. Its power-chord riffs and gruff singing could've come from 1975, 1985, or 2008. From the gutsy guitar riffs to the crash-bucket drums — supplied by Will Rigby, who was a member of pioneering alt-rockers dB's and played with Steve Earle — Things Unbroken's 11 songs sound a lot like Exile on Main St.-period Rolling Stones and, more to the point, the Replacements." - Michael Galluci, Scene Magazine