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It’s Time To Tune Into A New Sound

Alternative pop-rock sensation Chasing Daybreak released their debut album, Into Our Own, a couple months ago. After two years in the studio, the guys from Daybreak are finally ready for, well, the big break. And we’re not talking playing for a Girl Scouts benefit … which they’ve actually done before.
But while scheduling gaffs like playing a Girl Scouts benefit have brought the band into some rather uncharted territory for rock bands, there have also been gigs like the last-minute show for Ashlee Simpson. “It wasn’t exactly who we thought we’d end up playing for,” says drummer Stephen Dudzinski. “But in the end, it was a great experience to play in front of 5,000 people.”
Daybreak’s new album features the gripping “1942,” a song about a young soldier going off to fight in WWII. The track is being devoured by fans that have been chasing Daybreak for years in their hometown of Poughkeepsie, N.Y., at venues like The Chance Theatre.
Though the guys are just envisioning their first major tour, they already have a devoted following, and their music connects with listeners who find special meaning in the lyrics. Cat is one such fan who wrote to the band, thanking them for “1942.” “It brought her to tears because her boyfriend was in Iraq at the time,” Dudzinski says, who wrote the song about his grandfather. “And then her boyfriend, a Marine, wrote to thank us for it, too. That’s what we all want our music to do. That’s our statement song.”
Even though Daybreak is rocking it hard in this album with a power ballad and energetic vocals a la Taking Back Sunday or Jimmy Eat World, they’re still experimenting with their sound. “We used to play harsher stuff,” says lead vocalist Steven Campanella. “But over the past two or three years, we’ve been developing. That’s why we named the record Into Our Own.”
Original members Dudzinski and rhythm guitarist Denis Fabbricante, who have been best friends since grade school, grew up listening to music and playing together. The additions of Campanella on vocals, Dan Lagana on lead guitar and Don Grudee on bass have given Daybreak the gigantic pop sound that has made bands like Incubus a household name.
These fan-friendly rockers aim to reach out to their audience and make a connection — and they hope to do it with Into Our Own. “We want our music to be strong and positive,” Campanella says. “That’s the power of music.”

*We also recommend listening to some of Chasing Daybreak’s other catchy songs like “Right Now” and “Live Like This.”