CD Reviews

I have had a great time listening to great music from a bunch of great musicians from all around this great country.
 
So when a CD came in the mail from one of our brothers across the Tasman, I felt a trivial feeling of victory; so rapidly I have become an international reviewer - Hooray.
 
Soon enough I stopped it with my sickening self-indulgence and had a listen to Steven King, or Gearloose as he prefers to be known; then I had another listen, and then another listen still.
 
And that is my advice to everyone who gets a copy of Gearloose; listen to it a good three times or four before you ask yourself "what the heck is this dissonant bit of tripe?" 
But come on, at least give the gentleman a chance.
Second time round I began giving comparisons to Grumpy Neighbour, except not as charismatic and epic, but there certainly are some similarities.
 
It messes with your head a bit; both musicians have different sounds from most people, so if you can't be bothered to get your head around music, then maybe this is not for you.
 
But me, I did start getting my head around it, and I'm glad I did. I started to feel it a bit more.
 
The diversity of Gearloose's musical repertoire is mind-blowing.
 
The beautiful sound of a piano takes the listener in to the first song, Love Means Nothing, before suddenly changing into an indie-pop like piece.
 
Then there's Frog Pond, a more mellow song where the guitar takes the reign, the same is done with Hide Away, and done quite well too.
 
But then Bump in the Road, the song after Hide Away, sounds something like Pulp or the Charlatans; that's before he goes a bit more rock in Ho'omahana (Vacation).
 
Don't get me wrong, this is not my favourite album, but after listening to it three times I got the impression Gearloose worked damned hard to make it, and while it make take a few listens, that hard work certainly makes it all grow on you.
 
All in all a different and diverse piece of work, certainly worth three or four listens.

< Prev		Next >