Chains Are Broken could refer to the Devil Makes Three themselves, as the longtime trio have decided to make touring drummer Stefan Amidon an official member and bring him into the studio to record their first collection of original material since 2013's I'm a Stranger Here. It's a big move eclipsed by the hiring of Ted Hutt, a producer who helmed records by Dropkick Murphys, the Gaslight Anthem, and the Mighty Mighty Bosstones -- rockers whose music is a far cry from the rough-and-tumble that's the Devil Makes Three's specialty. They haven't abandoned their signatures -- they still sing songs of redemption and ruin, as adept with galloping rave-ups as they are with heartache -- but Hutt helps the Devil add color to their noir, a transition that also helps the group usher in some new styles. "Paint My Face" opens with ringing guitars straight out of the '60s; "Castles" and "Bad Idea" are filled with chunky rock & roll riffs, each one sounding like a natural extension of the Devil Makes Three's sly Americana. These styles may suit the band, yet the big, robust production of Chains Are Broken can still startle upon the first listen or two. Once the shock of the bigger, bolder sound fades, Chains Are Broken reveals itself as a perhaps inevitable maturation for the Devil Makes Three, one that broadens their horizons while retaining their vigor, humor, and heart. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine, Rovi

1		Chains Are Broken
2		Pray for Rain
3		Paint My Face
4		Can't Stop
5		Need to Lose
6		All Is Quiet
7		Bad Idea
8		Deep Down
9		Native Son
10		Castles
11		Curtains Rise

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