It took about 17 hours on train, but it was well worth the

journey up the West Coast and through the luscious green

North West to Portland. Olivia Barchard had a gut feeling

about making a musical connection with producer/songwriter

Allen Davis. Three days passed, whiskey flowed and hours

were filled writing and recording. The pair had composed 3

songs, an undeniable connection and musical chemistry.
Soon after, Allen relocated to San Francisco to join Olivia

and they decided to call themselves Breakdown Valentine.

Breakdown Valentine wrote and explored sounds for a year,

experimenting with what would become their singular style

of layered, widescreen panoramic synth rock that straddles

the anthemic and ethereal.
In 2012 they were asked to play a live show even before having released an official EP. Since then, they have played along side acts such as Chromatics, Holy Ghost!, How To Dress Well, Geographer, and Big Black Delta.

In late 2013, Breakdown Valentine independently released their debut EP Beautiful Distraction. Their first music video for single “Surrender” gained the attention of Aaron Axelsen, music director of KITS LIVE105.3FM, leading them to play BFD 2014 and having regular rotation on his radio show Soundcheck.
 

After a couple year hiatus, other than playing a sold out NYE show at Bottom of the Hill in 2015, the pair have been deep diving in their new vision of Breakdown Valentine. You can hear a taste of the new synthesizer-driven sound in the most recent nu-disco single released in late May 2017.]
 

 

"If CHVRCHES, Blondie, and The Sounds had a threesome band baby, it would be San Francisco’s Breakdown Valentine." - Boxspeaker Music Blog

"Breakdown Valentine puts on a very energetic in addition to interactive show that will make an audience dance. No matter the tempo, the bass and rhythm of their songs make the body move. Olivia Barchard’s vocals have vitality that rings through in every song she sings. Being that “Beautiful Distraction” is Breakdown Valentine’s debut EP, expect to hear more arousing music to come from this San Francisco band." - Justin Crowley, SF Examiner


"Olivia Barchard and Allen Davis started a long-distance music collaboration on a song in early 2011. Davis lived in Portland, Ore., and Barchard lived in San Francisco. They met in 2004, when Davis was performing with the S.F. band Every Move a Picture.
When Davis e-mailed Barchard the composition he had been working on, she says she found herself 'coming up with the lyrics and melody so easily.'
Barchard soon jumped on a train to Portland to compose and record live with Davis, and she says there was a chemistry to their music that couldn't be denied. A few months later, Davis moved back to San Francisco..." - Tony DuShane, SF Chronicle See More