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Anti-flag – The Bright Lights Of America

Published on April 11, 2008 in Albums, Music and Reviews. 3 Comments Tags: , .

Now this is how you make a punk album! Anti-flag received a lot of flack about joining with a major record label on their last release (For Blood & Empire), but all doubts should be forgiven with their newest album The Bright Lights Of America.

This powerful record has plenty of heavy hitting numbers and rousing sing along choruses that will have the blood pumping and the fists raised in the air. Chris Head (guitar), Chris # 2 (bass/vocals), Pat Thetic (drums) and Justine Sane (lead vocals/guitar) all get their moment to shine with plenty of short guitar & drums solo’s that reveal a tight knit band in top form. The introduction of wood block, harmonica, trumpet, piano, violin and some choral backing vocals also contribute towards Anti-flags most diverse sounding album yet.

With tracks like We Are The Lost, Vices and The Modern Rome Burning you know you’re in for a lot of political charged and recalcitrant songs. While previous Anti-flag albums have often overemphasized this message, this time around the band step off their soapbox & replace the preaching with righteous anger and protest inspiring vibes. However unlike some bands (I’m looking at you Fallout Boy), Anti-flag can hardly be accused of jumping on the activist bandwagon since they’ve always worn their hearts on their sleeves. They’ve also been involved in a number of goodwill charities over the years and have recently released a benefit album for victims of violent crimes after Chris #2′s sister was murdered.

This seamlessly flowing record has the rare quality of being a good listen from start to finish with no weak or boring tracks that you’ll need to skip through. A lot of the songs do overplay the chorus aspect, but when they stick in your head this effectively, this isn’t necessarily a bad thing. The only other downside to the album is Justine’s vocals. Even though he’s improved remarkably from earlier years, I still wouldn’t say that the singing is fantastic (after all this is punk music), but it does convey a message of frustration and anger aimed towards the current state of America.

Overall, The Bright Lights of America is how great punk rock music should sound. Fun, fast, aggressive and with something important to say. While it probably won’t appease those thought their last album was too commercial, it’s a great starting point for those looking to get into their music. I think Pat summed it up best in a recent interview, “We’ve got to do what’s interesting to us. People were saying you’re a punk rock band, if you do this people aren’t going to like you. Fuck ‘em, we don’t care.”

Overall Rating: 85/100 pennies

Highlight Tracks

Good & Ready: This song serves as a perfect introduction to the rest of the album and starts with an acoustic guitar which quickly gives way to the energetic chorus, “You’ll get your’s when your good & ready”. This song has a great anthem quality with plenty of shout along moments and fantastic bass work throughout. A hint of a triangle leads into a major breakdown with bell chimes, some more acoustic and support vocals from a children’s choir.

The Bright Lights Of America: The catchy chorus, pop punk chords and hand claps make this one an ideal candidate for a single. The upbeat harmony and memorable hooks are contrasted with a bleak message of frustration “There are whole houses full, of fucked up kids like you and me, can’t find a way”.

Vices: A song written by Chris #2, to exercise his past demons. “The son of a full time working mother and a molester for a father who lives in the prison for home” “I’m so fucking sick of being ashamed of my own flesh”. More choral work, a mournful piano section and a slow pace give this song an cathartic feel that also serves as a moving eulogy to his sexually abused and murdered sister.

If You Wanna Steal: A fantastic track with resonating guitars and plenty of high hat action reminiscent of the arctic monkeys, but with an extra dose of anger to complement it’s anti-capitalistic message. The drumming, guitars and lyrics meld perfectly into an infectious dance beat melody that has become my favorite song on the album.

No Warning: A count in leads into a song about apathy and being influenced by public opinion. The rumbling drums and crashing cymbal work are the real highlights of the track and give it a vibrant angry beat. A chaotic clanging of sirens and an echo of “Hey’s” make you stand up and take notice, ” This is critical mass destruction”.

Spit In Your Face: This vehement track begins with a gritty and brief piano section that is shattered with thunderous drumming and guitar shredding. The rapid fire riffs then grab you by the neck and spin you around with some hard hitting vocals. This breakneck tempo is relentlessly continued for 4 minutes until it’s partially slowed down by a guitar solo and more piano work. The caustic message about greed should appeal to old school fans as it sounds similar to material (Drink, Drank Punk) on their first release Die For The Government.

We Are The Lost: This epic track brings down the pace with some string work and another chorus anthem supported by a trumpet. This one should appeal to the disenfranchised and lonely with lyrics like “Each station filled with static. Broadcasting nothing but noise”.

The Smartest Bomb: An anti war song that hits the mark without retreading on old ground. “You’re so disposable, real life video game. Sit down-line up-knuckle down-shut up”. Roaring vocals, bell chimes and a staccato beat drive the chorus home ” They won’t miss you when you’re gone, when your heart stops beating and pumping blood”.

Shadows Of The Dead: Starts with a foreboding bass solo which leads into trumpet blasts and gunfire guitar strings. At the 2 minute mark the instruments cut out and Justine’s monotone voice carries the chorus “As I walk through the valley in the shadow of the dead, will you remember them?”. While the message isn’t as striking as previous songs, the tempo changes keep things interesting. The track ends with a foreboding cello that segues perfectly into the final track.

The Ink & Quill (Be Afraid): Continues the war theme from the last two songs and indicts greedy corporations who benefit from the suffering of others. This song shares similarities with the opening track and contains stirring verses complemented with interesting riffs and powerful drumming. Lightning crashes, a marching drumbeat and the return of the children’s choir at the half way point herald the apocalyptic ending “Be afraid, be afraid… be very afraid of the coming nightmare”.

Pennywise – A Reason To Believe

Published on April 7, 2008 in Albums, Music and Reviews. 2 Comments Tags: , .

While the last albums I reviewed (Panic At The Disco’s:Pretty Odd and Millencolin’s:Machine 15) showed a dramatic or a subtle change in sound, the 8th album from Pennywise shows absolutely no change from the music that they were playing back in the 90′s. They even unashamedly reference this on the intro song, with the lines “Competitive, narcissistic you know we’re not going to change”.

I was originally going to say give Pennywise some credit for how they’ve released this album for free over myspace. However, I was left with a slightly bitter taste in my mouth after finding out that you have to sign up to myspace & add the mobile phone parasite company Textango as a friend (just think of all those annoying ads on TV).

It’s albums like this that explain why I was never a massive fan of Pennywise. This is the worst kind of punk music as it’s stereotypical, stagnant and despite the rapid fire speed actually kind of boring. The first time I heard the album I couldn’t even stomach listening to the whole thing and switched it off after only getting to the ½ way point. It’s sounds like someone’s flicked the switch on a mechanical drum & guitar machine for 40 min and it’s impossible to distinguish when one track finishes & the next one starts. This means nearly every song sounds the same and there’s little sense of melody or diversity found on the album.

However if you’re to judge the songs on an individual basis you may get a bit more out of them including the first track As Long As We Can which is actually one of the highlights on the album and builds up from a slow beginning to a powerhouse chorus with a breakdown thrown in for good measure. This is followed on by the thrash track One Reason with contains some heavy guitar chords and thundering drum work that complements the chorus with some Wooah’s and yeah’s throw in for good measure. There are plenty more of these melodic vocals on the rest of the album and while I’m normally a huge sucker for sing along sections, they just don’t seem to do it for me & instead come across as sounding repetitive and desperate after first couple of tracks. The only other track that stands out is their single The Western Wall, which the band describes as being their most commercial song yet. In the end it still sounds pretty ordinary and their old school singles Alien or Fuck Authority are much better.

It’s a shame that this record is so disappointing as I really thought their last two underrated releases (The Fuse & From The Ashes) were really good and finally showed some progression for the band. The breakdowns, changes in pace & anthem nature of these songs show how good Pennywise could be, but only go to highlight how bad their latest record is. The band actually stated in an interview that they had written about 60 songs for this album and it’s therefore a bit baffled why they chose so many songs that sound the same. Overall A Reason to Believe is an utterly forgettable album that I doubt will get many plays on my ipod (I struggled to get through it 4 times for this review). Alright I’ve burned this album enough, now for something completely better.

Highlight Tracks

  • As long As We Can
  • One Good Reason
  • The Western Wall

Overall Rating

60/100 Pennies

Millencolin – Machine 15

Published on April 5, 2008 in Albums, Music and Reviews. 2 Comments Tags: , .

Machine 15

Australia was actually the first country to receive the machine (just like Pennybridge Pioneers & Home From Home) & we’ve been lucky enough to hear it weeks before anywhere else. They must really love our country as they also decided to kick off their album tour here first.

Machine 15 is Millencolin’s eight album release and refers to the Swedish punk rockers racking up an impressive fifteen years together. As such, the album seems to contain a general theme of reflecting on life and moving on to the future. After departing from their ska musical style in early years, Millencolin have undergone little change over the years but their latest record pushes their punk rock music into a more melodic area.

Brand New Game references this change and contains allegories to earlier albums or songs, “Fork & Plate” (Life On A Plate), “Greener Side” (Grass Is Greener),”Twenty two” , “Lozin Must” and “Fingers Crossed”. The track Machine 15 also sounds very similar to their work on Kingwood and is full of great power riffs and a catchy chorus. Detox is similar to their old pop punk favorite Fox and has a bouncy beat and subtle piano kick that’s for all the music lovers out there “She thinks it’s time for your detox. She wants romance but you want guitars” “Your an addictive to the audio, a chronic record lover, who feeds off the stereo”.

Done Is Done introduces some string work from the Swedish chamber orchestra and is a welcome addition that progresses the band into new territory. The dominant drumming, cymbals and violin hit the mark at all the appropriate moments and make it Millencolins most epic song to date. This is complemented with tracks like Brand New Game, Come On, Route One & Vicious Circle which take influences from Nikolas’s solo material and slow down the tempo with tales about relationships or family.

The most effective of these personal tracks is Ducks & Drakes which uses string work and moving lyrics to make a tribute to Nikola’s brother who disapeared 3 years ago without a trace “When bells ring out for those who die, I try to say one last goodbye” “ The thorn will always be in my side”. Saved By Hell maintains the slow pace with more sting work and guitar solos that weave a tale about domestic violence.

Who’s Laughing now is one of my favorite tracks from the album and has a hard hitting beat, harmonic vocals and a sticking chorus that really leaves it’s mark after a number of listens. This is contrasted with the simple track, Broken world which doesn’t significancantly add anything to the well worn issue of global problems, “A broken world well ain’t that a bummer”. There’s also another couple of filler tracks such as Danger For Stranger & Turnkey Paradise, which lack memorable riffs and hold this album back from being perfect.

Overall Machine 15 is an album that accentuates the message of moving on in life and subtlely progresses Millencolin into areas while still retaining a few songs that old fans will be instantly familiar with. While the Orchestral work could have been more pronounced its presence makes the album slowly build on you after a number of listens and show the more melodic side of the band. While not as good as their classic album Pennybridge Pioneers, it sits comfortably between Home From Home and Kingswood with a new style that is best summarised by Millencolin “I would rather take the road less traveled than face shit I already know”.

Highlight Tracks

  • Machine 15
  • Done Is Done
  • Detox
  • Route One
  • Who’s Laughing Now

Overall Rating: 80/100

Panic At The Disco: Pretty. Odd. album review

Published on April 1, 2008 in Albums, Music and Reviews. 6 Comments Tags: , .

I was really baffled when listening to the aptly titled Pretty Odd for the first time. What’s this? No trace of synthesiser or electronic driven music and no frantic crunching of as many lyrics as they could into a verse. Throughout the whole running time I kept listening out for even one track that contained a trace of their old style. Nope, guess they lied when they stated in the introduction song (We’re So Starving) “You don’t have to worry because we’re still the same band”. This whole album is such a wide departure from their previous style that it will definitely have many listeners wondering if this album is an attempt at an April Fools joke.

Pretty Odd, sees the band experimenting in a number of different styles and pulling out every trick in their music repertoire with violin, cello, trumpet, piano, tambourine, ukulele, fiddles, banjo, harmonica and organ. Folkin’ Around see the band delving into country territory, while She Had The World has them trying out a renaissance sound and I Have Friends In Holy Places sees them tackling a Dixie land tune. Despite these additions most of the tracks lack the infectiously energetic pace found on their last release and are largely forgettable. The only exceptions are the grandiose & upbeat single Nine In The Afternoon and the increased tempo of tracks That Green Gentleman and Mad Rabbit, which finally add a little bit of fun to the proceedings.

It’s a shame that Panic have undergone such a dramatic change in style as somewhere along the line they’ve lost an exclamation mark to their name and forgotten to include more entertaining material. While some of their previous work was overwhelming and overproduced at least it was notoriously catchy and fun.

In the end Panic At The Disco seems to have traded in their pretentious pop music style for an attempt at orchestral music that ironically feels dull & lifeless. At it’s best; the album could be called a failed Beatles imitation (it was mixed at Abbey Rd Studios), while at it’s worst it just sounds boring. If listen to this album with no preconceptions you might appreciate the mellow sounds more than I did.

Pretty odd? More like pretty shit.

Final rating: 50/100 pennies

Get ready to shit yourself again

Published on March 21, 2008 in Video Games. 1 Comment

Get ready to cry like a little baby because the shit scare that is Condemned 2: Bloodshot will be released on the 360 next week. The first game was released way back during the xbox 360′s launch & featured the protagonist Ethan Thomas on the trail of a demented serial killer.

While the initial story was pretty simple things quickly got more complicated after you start to unravel the strands of a paranormal conspiracy that lead to a number of different endings. I don’t want to spoil things too much, but it left many questions unanswered & Ethan in a sorry state of affairs. It’s a shame that this game slipped under most peoples radars, because I found it to be the most atmospheric horror FPB (First Person Basher) that I’ve ever played.

So far it’s only received an average rating of 81% on Gamerankings.com but all the reviews concur that it improves on the original in every way. This time the cool forensic style mini-games have more substance and you’ll really have to pay attention to the clues if you want to unlock all the achievements. The impressive sound and graphics help suck you into the creepy atmospheric levels such as a bowling alley or magic shop.

It’s also been said that this game is definitely not for the faint hearted as it’s even more violent & creepy than the first one. The combat is supposed to more brutal & involving this time and has you using the two thumbsticks to control your left and right fists. This combat style sounds similar to that used in Fight Night 3 and it allows you take out your demented foes by stringing combos together.

Since weapons can be literally pulled from the environment there’s a huge selection to choose from. Locker doors, nailed 2 X 4′s, deer antlers, bowling pins and hacksaw blades are just a few of the implements at your disposal (I can still remember the sickening crunch sound that the sledgehammer made in the first game). There’s also an arsenal of guns which have an interesting twist to them. Due to previous events Ethan now has a bit of an alcohol problem. Because his hands shake too much he must now take a shot of dutch courage before firing any of the guns in the game.

So far the best aspect of the combat sounds like the finisher moves. Once you’ve beaten your enemy into a bloody pulp you can dispose of them in some really gruesome ways by dragging them through the environment. In one of the many brutal finishing moves you crush the heads of your enemies in a giant vice or stuff it into an operating washing machine or toilet (So much for censorship).

I’ve already preordered my copy of Condemned 2 from Play-asia.com & I’m really looking forward to giving it a bash. I can’t wait to turn out the lights, crank up the sound and scare myself shitless once again.

Breed Obsession review

Published on March 19, 2008 in Albums, Music and Reviews. 1 Comment

Get ready because Daniel Sanders (vocals/guitar), Zoran Trivic (guitar/piano), Brad Campbell (bass) and Rob Nassif (Drums) are about to hit the big time with their newest release Breed Obsession.

This is Gyroscope’s 3rd album and follows on from their 2005 sophomore release Are you involved, which was recorded in LA by producer/mixer Mark Trombino (The Living End, Blink 182 & Jimmy Eat World). While this album perfectly showcased the tight knit and energetic nature of the band, Zoran has recently admitted that Mark’s production was “very clinical, in that they recorded with the drums first, then we come to lay down guitar tracks for the drums, [with] the vocals sort of put on at the end”.

This inflexible method may explain why Gyroscope parted ways with Mark and decided to record the initial Breed Obsession tracks (Snakeskin) at the RnR studio in South Australia. When they sent this demo material to producer Dave Eringa (Manic Street Preachers), they receiving the thumbs up and headed over to the UK for the first time to record the remaining tracks at the Elevator studio in Liverpool.

The free form environment and recording process allowed each of the band members to jam in their own circle of power (basically a string of lights) and feed off each other’s rock vibes. This style lends the album an infectious enthusiasm and energy that captures the feeling of a live Gyroscope set. Dave summarises the new album as “A really eclectic record with heavier than Foo Fighters riffing at one end to beautiful Beatles‘y acoustic songs at the other taking in a Pink Floyd homage along the way”. I think this record really rocks!”

After hearing some of the new material at a recent gig I can also attest that Gyroscopes new material will seaminglessly blend into their future set lists. The heavy hitting Snakeskin, 1981 and Weapon, Enemy, Friend are instant rock classics while the diverse sounds of Her Design and Polyphones & multidors add further strength to an already impressive repertoire.

Track Rundown

Snakeskin: What a great start to the album. It probably needs little introduction, as it’s received plenty of radio play after its release back in November 2007. Since then it’s picked up a number of accolades including being voted to the # 16 spot on Triple J Hottest 100 and being the # 1 most requested song on Triple J’s Super request and JTV programs. Recently it also won two WAMi awards including most popular single and most popular music video. They recorded the later in a crop circle in Wiltshire, South London (the same field featured on the front of the Led zeppelin Remasters album).

This heavily layered track begins with a simple piano piece from Zoran and some soft vocals from Daniel. The subtle drumming then bridges into the epic chorus that’s belted out with typical Gyroscope passion. This fantastic track contains all the bands signature sounds that fans have come to love including breakdowns, catchy guitar hooks & a screaming chorus. The heavily layered sounds (a subtle bell ring in the background) and production quality also manage to showcase their progression and what to expect on the rest of the album.

All In On One: The resonating off key guitar chords and angst filled lyrics provide a darker tone than some of Gyro’s previous work while still retaining a catchy vibe. When the chorus comes around you’ll probably be singing along with the lines “Hey, hey I admit I messed you up, I truly thought you would learn by now!” With a running time of 3.20 this one shouts out more hey’s & woe’s than a horse rider (26 to be exact), which will undoubtedly make it a popular live choice.

These Days: A simply classic guitar riff from Zoran starts things off while a ticking drumbeat supplements Daniels “Un, Deux, Trois” count in. Memorable guitar chords and tight drumming perfectly complement what will surely become another Gyroscope classic. The sing along chorus “I’ll figured out your name come morning, but your scent is something I should know, ” has been stuck in my head for days.

Australia: This is essentially a romantic ballad about home which was obviously written while on tour overseas “Such a long, long way back home”. The subtle drumbeats and acoustic guitar supplement Daniel’s vocals and the string work (Violin & Cello), gives this song some extra depth. I wouldn’t be surprised to hear it some more before next Australia day. While the passive beat and absence of a catchy chorus do slightly interrupt the albums momentum this song shows that the bands equal capable of creating melodic numbers as well as the harder hitting ones.

O.K: A creepy baseline starts with the words “You know that window in your basement, I used to sleep outside it. Now I’m inside hiding from you”. The reverberating vocals and thudding guitar chords work well at conveying the stalker motif but also hold it back from reaching it’s full potential. An accelerated rhythm or some classic Gyro screaming would have really made this track something special but in the end the title of the song sums it up best, just O.K.

Weapon. Enemy. Friend: A killer bass chord kicks things off before the drums throw you into the gritty beat. This is the most straight up rock track on the album with powerful lyrics “ I shot the shit, I fucked the fake” and plenty of thrash heavy guitar chords. Just like O.K, there are plenty of creepy vocals but they slide more into the background this time and let the instruments do the talking. When I first heard this song at their last gig, the distinct jam session at the end of the song really stood out and had the whole band feeding off each other. Now that I’m more familiar with this fantastic number I can’t wait to hear it again live.

Polyphones & Multidors: This one just oozes atmosphere and has a real unique style unlike anything the boys have tried before. The slight jazz melody and relaxed structure gives this song a laid back breezy vibe. As usual Daniels fantastic singing melds perfectly into the guitars, which provide an interesting droning accompaniment. This highly atmospheric song will undoubtedly become one of my favorites.

The River Between: The subdued tempo and lack of distinct guitar tune make this song initially difficult to absorb. It seems to be missing the spark of previous song and only grabs your attention in the final minute when the pace picks up and some yodeling like vocals appear. I’m still undecided on this one and may need a few more listens before I make up my mind.

Her Design: Another enjoyable acoustic track that starts off with some Tambourine. While the chorus is rather repetitive it’s to Daniel’ credit that he can pull off lines like “Girl you look so good in the evening light, when the moon is right and the stars are bright”, without sounding sappy or cliché. At its roots it’s obviously a love song but the country like melody and background siren sound give this one a slightly hypnotic ambiance.

1981: Their second single starts with an electronic drumbeat that quickly shifts into gear with some crashing symbols and some tight guitar work. Rob’s industrious drumming is the real highlight of this track and help complement the catchy as hell hooks and the chorus “Pain won’t go away, even when the drugs say, I won’t forget”. It took me a while to get my head around the synthesiser style beat but this song has now become my favorite from the album.

Silver Heart: A moody sounding track with twanging guitar and thudding drums that picks up some speed and screaming vocals along the way. Brad gets a chance to show off his excellent bass skills while the collective shout of “Roof top, shout it out” gives everyone’s vocals a good workout.

Time: This multi layered finale is a fitting end to the album and demonstrates that Gyroscope have truly evolved into a dynamic and mature quartet. The masterful piano work and ambient sound effects evoke an ethereal Pink Floyd feel and Daniels singing reaches all new heights. Every time I hear the lyrics “Like a candle in the window” I’m reminded of the Elton John song and I can already imagine the fans swaying with their lighters out at the next concert.

After giving Breed Obsession a number of solid listens I can undoubtedly say that Gyroscope have smashed my expectations. They’ve delivered a memorable and diverse rock album with a perfect mixture of light and heavy music that should appeal to a broad demographic of listeners. The high production values also push the band into some new and interesting areas while still delivering the distinct Gyro sounds that fans have come to love.

As of writing the Breed Obsession album has now hit the #1 spot in the ARIA charts after it’s first week of release. Well done guys!

Gyroscope: Number 1 with a Bullet

Published on March 17, 2008 in Albums and Gigs. 1 Comment

x229y229I want to give a huge shout out to our boys Gyroscope who’s newest album Breed Obsession debuted at number #1 on the Aria charts.

I would also like to take credit in shooting the guys to superstardom as I bought their album twice. You’re welcome guys!

Their album has been getting rave reviews and was also the feature album on Triple J. Also being featured on the AFL ads for Channel 10 Gyroscope have been getting maximum exposure and it’s paid off.

I won’t be doing an album review in this post but Breed Obsession is yet another quality release which following on from Are You Involved? showcases a mature Gyroscope experimenting with new sounds while still doing what they do best.

After recently knocking off the Pre-Obsession Tour Gyroscope aren’t stopping for a breath before hitting the road again for the Breed Obsession Tour.

Gyroscope Breed Obsession Tour

Fri May 02 – Bar 388, Brisbane QLD (18+)

Thu May 08 – Settler’s Tavern, Margaret River WA (18+)

Fri May 09 – The Prince of Wales, Bunbury WA (18+)

Sat May 10 – The Capitol, Perth WA (18+)

Wed May 14 – Governor Hindmarsh, Adelaide SA (Licensed All Ages)

Fri May 16 – The Metro, Sydney NSW (Licensed All Ages)

Sat May 17 – The Hi-Fi Bar and Ballroom, Melbourne VIC (18+)

Sun May 18 – The Hi-Fi Bar and Ballroom, Melbourne VIC (Under 18 only, doors 1pm)

Tickets are available through gyroscope.com and the usual outlets.

Dropkick Murphys + Guitar Hero 3 = Rocking Happiness

Published on March 7, 2008 in Music and Video Games. 2 Comments

Just in time for St Patrick’s Day the good people at Guitar Hero have announced that they will be releasing a special Dropkick Murphys song pack for Guitar Hero 3 consisting of master tracks of ‘Famous for Nothing’, (F)lannigan’s Ball’ and ‘Johnny, I Hardly Knew Ya’

As a lot of you readers are fans of Dropkick Murphys this will be great news to you all. But the best part is still to come… the price for this kickass collection? Nothing! It’s going to be free baby! Woo!

So stock up on beers, put on your jigging boots and get ready to rock.

Gyroscope, Ruby’s Lounge, Round 2.

Published on March 5, 2008 in Gigs, Music and Reviews. 2 Comments

I’ve noticed this sites been getting a little bit lowbrow lately with all the youtube vids (Sorry Count), so I’ve decided to put my review of Gyroscope’s gig up.

I last saw Gyroscope at Ruby’s Lounge back in 2006 and even though the crowd was relatively small we stood out enough to get a song dedicated to “Those poor guys that have to work tomorrow”. I also meet the band in Ruby’s back stage area (behind a secret bookcase) where Count Knuckles chatted to them about their last album ‘Are you involved?’.

Even though I’ve seen them plenty of times since then (4 and counting), that gig still remains my most memorable and I therefore had high expectations when I heard that Gyroscope would be traveling to Ruby’s again in 2008.

After finding out that they wouldn’t be hitting the stage till 11:15 (groan) I only arrived to catch a few songs from Melbourne band Trial Kennedy. While their overall set was full of impressive rock beats the highlight came during their last song when Gyroscope’s lead singer Daniel Sanders joined them on stage to provide some backup singing. A couple of audience members also deciding to jump in on the act and provided some surprisingly decent vocals before they were dragged off stage by the security guards.

Following a delayed start Rob (drums), Brad (bass), Zoran (guitar) and Daniel (lead vocals, guitar) finally made their way up to the stage via a quick bypass through the crowd. After giving them a congratulatory pat on the back they kicked things off with Fast Girl. From the start of the set, Daniel was determined to literally make his mark on the venue after he hung off the stage curtain and nearly tore it down. He then proceeded to suspend his guitar from the roof after smashing it into the same spot that he had last time he played at Ruby’s (it still had the Gaffa tape there to prove it).

While I was initially expected Gyroscope to fully demo their upcoming album Breed Obsession they instead opted to play a broad range of material including 22 of 3, Confidence in confidentiality, Take this for granted and Are you getting any better?

Specific highlights of the night included their energetic album opener Don’t look now but I think I’m sweating blood which lived up to its namesake by having everyone intensely sweating it out in the mosh pit. Audience participation has always been a strong point of Gyroscope gigs and they didn’t disappoint when they provided vocal support to Daniel’s distinct crooning chorus during songs like A Slow Dance. Their biggest hit of the night Save Forever also had 200 + people perfectly singing in unison with the anthem “I did it for you girl!”. Older material like Driving For the Storm and Hallow Like Cheyenne also which went down well with longterm fans who could be distinguished by their ability to cite every lyric verbatim.

Quite only descended upon the patrons when they were absorbed into the atmospheric tunes of Raindrops, Dream Vs Scream and Sexxxy. These heartfelt ballads captivated the audience and demonstrated that Gyroscope are equal capable of delivering slower melodic numbers as well as harder hitting ones. They also showcased Daniel’s superb vocal ability and distinct dictation singing style which is always a pleasure to hear live. It was also interesting to hear him experiment with some reverb and echo effects which helped add some extra depth to the songs.

The atmosphere was then cranked up another two notches when the epic single Snakeskin was performed. The signature guitar hooks, breakdowns and catchy lyrics had the whole crowd absorbed and everyone gave a fantastic cheer when Zoran thanked them for voting it to an impressive # 16 spot on this years Triple J Hottest 100 countdown.

While I wasn’t originally sold on the electronic driven sound of their latest single 1981, after a couple of live listens I’m now completely addicted. While the synthesiser sounding drum beat gave it a slow pop style start it wasn’t long before memorable guitar work and a catchy chorus took hold of the crowd and had them bouncing with exuberance.

This was contrasted with another new track which was aptly titled O.K. The general lack of speed and energy didn’t really make it stand out, but it will probably grow on me after a few more listens. Due to some poorly timed guitar static I couldn’t make out the title of I think the other new song of the night was titled Weapon. Enemy. Friend  and had the whole band feeding off each other with thundering guitar riffs and powerhouse drumming.

The hour long set with concluded with the ever popular heavy hitting screaming classic Doctor Doctor and a surprise rendition of Nirvana’s Territorial Pissing which brought back fond memories of the days when I also used to sing the lines “Just because they’re paranoid, doesn’t meen they’re not watching you”.

Gyroscope then proved that they’re a ‘band for the people’ after Daniel sauntered into the crowd and played a guitar solo while being swamped by rabid photographers.

Overall this leg of the appropriately titled Pre Obsession tour impressed both new and old fans alike and confirmed that 2008 will finally be the year that Gyroscope will hit the big time. It’s about bloody time because in Daniel’s words “I’m already obsessed”.

The Foot Fist Way

Published on March 5, 2008 in Movies. 1 Comment

Thank you to Raj (idontquiteknow.com) for the heads up!