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Indie Group POPULUXE Release Concept Album “Beauty in The Broken Place”, One Year After Tree of Life Attack


In the music world, the image you portray to the rest of the world is often just as important as the sound itself. While wrapping up coverage for the weekend, we were surprised by the intriguing trio known as POPULUXE and their recent album Beauty in The Broken Place. Spearheading by acclaimed narrator and voice actor Rob Shapiro and supported by bassist Mike Mallory and renowned drummer Mark Pardy, POPULUXE has been making a musical conversation for over a decade. Their sound feels authentic and independent, as a glorious melting pot of distinct musicians simply listening to each other. POPULUXE decidedly takes a stance and lets their pain flow in their newest concept album Beauty in The Broken Place. The album is the result of the 2018 brutal massacre of 11 and harming others at the Tree of Life synagogue in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

“It’s an event that clearly has much broader implications. The massacre hit me hard, and I was incredibly moved when people congregated in Prospect Park that night and spontaneously sang Kaddish (the Jewish prayer of mourning.) That was the moment when the title sort of announced itself to me (“beauty in the broken place”), and within hours I started writing, and then the material and arc just started to pour out. I did my best to ride the biggest wave I ever caught.” – Rob Shapiro

When you decide to break ground and make a concept album, you know that the subject matter is deep to your heart and penetrates your soul. Crafted in the style of our raw rock opera, Beauty in The Broken Place blends together pain and haunting beauty to create a space for POPULUXE to tell their story. The album mixes sounds similar to Stevie Wonder and Sly Stone with love of Led Zeppelin and King Crimson, weaving in and out of each style with reproach and ease. Beauty in The Broken Place puts POPULUXE’s passion for music and their ideals on a stage for everyone to examine and embrace. POPULUXE pours their heart and soul into each note and lyric, marking Beauty in The Broken Place as the best concept album we’ve heard in ages.

Make sure you check out Beauty in The Broken Place on Spotify below or on Soundcloud!

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Brandon Stuhr

Who am I? Just some guy who decided to start writing on the Internet years ago and now operates his own brand and site. Owner/Operator of Modern Neon Media, I make all kinds of niche content to suit my interests at the time. DIY Enthusiast, Brewmaster extraordinaire, and avid freak for geek culture. Follow on my socials for a more "on" version of me.

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