Jerry Gaskill - Come Somewhere
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Free Music Notes for Come Somewhere
Free Music Review: Just Buy it Baby !!!
Hit: 5 Stars
easily the best CD I have heard in 2004. the songs just stick in your head even after the first listen. what a pleasant surprise and like a breathe of fresh air.Free Music Review: Jerry's Song
Hit: 4 Stars
I have nothing smart to say about this album. I'm near speechless. If someone spins this thing a few times it will destroy all the other albums in their head for at least a week.
What I can say is that Jerry doesnt cheat. These songs are crafted with an attention to melodic craftsmanship that earns the record's beatle's influence in the VERY best way. The first song is the weakest (though its still very good), but only because of the heavy nonriff, so keep listening. In fact, skip right to track 14 or 3 first if you want.
A perfect autumnal, wintery thing. Mostly acoustic. I can tell I'll be listening to it in twenty years, just like REM Automatic For The People. I'm not saying its quite that perfectly transcendent--just that it comes close and is on par musically. Doesnt stick to a 4/4 straight-ahead formula (like, say, Ty's "Safety" does), but many songs are inventively arranged with little movements in them. No chance of folky ho-humness with so much going on musically; plus the little sonic dressings really help to create a little world the album takes you to. Production is spacey & of near excellent quality (the distorted guitar sounds kleenexed but maybe it needs to be to keep the right vibe). With so much of the recent KX & solo material feeling uninspired or uninteresting musically--displaying a real lack of craft & songwriting IMHO--its a *relief* to have this thing. When you listen, you know this is the guy who liked CS Lewis & wrote the beautifully bizarre Six Broken Soldiers.
To quote suckerfly's review: "what happens on these 15 songs is something I can remember happening on the first 4 King's X albums. Something a little mystical in the music, something unsaid happening in the songs. Maybe that's just me, but there is a vibe throughout Gaskill's CD that is very hard to find on some of the latest King's X offerings." Exactly. Though I would include Please Come Home Mr. Bulbous and maybe Ear Candy in that list and say that Come Somewhere, being so evocative & melodically perfect, stands with those albums. I'd like to see what KX could do if Jerry brought an album full of songs to the band, let the band work them out in KX fashion, and release it as a KX album.
I'll dare to say it's the best solo record of any of the King's X alumni so far; forms a kind of trilogy with Ty Tabor's "Safety" and Doug Pinnick's "emotional animal" in my mind, the 3 solo albums I actually own, all bulbous-era (though Dug's isn't, I guess, but I don't know the Poundhound stuff very well :).
Free Music Review: Great music, odd lyrics, so-so production
Hit: 4 Stars
I have been a fan of King's X for over 15 years now (wow, a long time), and I've been fortunate to have seen them in concert almost 30 times, and I've met them and hung out with them (after shows) many times. I have an appreciation for King's X as a band and as individuals - they all seem like great guys, especially Jerry. I asked Jerry about 3 years ago about a solo album from him, and he said he was working on putting something together. I was real excited when it was finally released last year.
I'm really happy for Jerry to be able to get his music finished and put out there for the fans. But at the same time, I'm a little disappointed in the end result. The music on this album is really, really good. Assuming Jerry wrote all/most of the music, he has a good sense of melody and transition within each song. Some songs are still growing on me, but my favorites are "No Love" and "All The Way Home". I really like the acoustic base used for most of the songs - acoustic guitars have been missing from recent King's X albums. One thing I don't like is the in-your-face presence of the electric guitars. There isn't much sonic "real estate" between the subtle acoustic guitars and the bold electric guitars. Another thing that bothers me a bit are the lyrics. The lyrical content doesn't bother me, in fact, Ty's last solo album 'Safety' had a similar theme. But, at times, the lyrics make absolutely no sense. I'm guessing Jerry's using words almost as instruments, and the lyrics are there to compliment the whole song rather than to tell a story.
My biggest complaint would have to be in the production of this cd. Ty is an awesome guitarist, but I think he should leave the production duties to someone else (and thankfully, the new King's X cd is being produced by Michael Wagner). The drums sound ok, but the cymbals are buried in the mix and lack crispness and sparkle. The bass guitar is almost non-existent in the mix, and at times, the electric guitars sound muddy. I realize that Ty is basically a free resource to Jerry, but I can't help but think of how much better this cd would sound with some really good production.
Overall, I like this cd and although my comments above may sound harsh, I'm an audio engineer and I critique these things on every cd I buy. Coincidentally, I don't buy many cd's these days because I can't stand most of the music being put out. Jerry's cd is a really good effort, and it's a cd that will get a lot of rotation in my cd changer.
Free Music Review: 4.5 stars... real close to perfect and unique
Hit: 4 Stars
This one has been a long time Come(ing). Jerry (the legendary drummer of the oft underappreciated by the masses, loved by musicians King's X) finally unleashes his solo work. A great album can be listened to in one gulp, prepare to swallow. While some of the latest King's X efforts have been a bit lackluster this one strides home in it's focus and overall attention to the feel as an "album". This isnt (or doesnt listen like it is) a collection of songs that jerry has had brewing over the years. It owes much in direction to the beatles and led zep (think of their acoustic guitar material). The acoustic is very prevalent here.. and for a drummer's solo album (usually the kiss of death) we are treated to a virtual lesson in song writing with conviction first, chops a very little considered component. It is solid chops wise.. but if that is all you are looking for, look somewhere else. Jerry brings a unique inflection to his vocals and lyric delivery, often choosing odd ways to break up syllables rather than get stuck in basic (and trite) rythymic patterns (ie a/b a/b rhyme patterns). The lyrics can be read so many different ways.. or not read at all, they arent required as a component to enjoy the album but are a surprising extra layer of depth to be enjoyed if you want to delve deeper than a casual listen in the car. This is a pretty mellow album with it's moments of heavier riffs... but more trippy than bangy. It almost presents itself as one long song (or story). There are a few sinister type of moments (like "crazy") but they are not full out thrash, almost more of a creeping tempo.The CD art is solid and over all well packaged. The production is fantastic, the acoustic guitar is bright when it needs to be and the electric guitar/bass is subdued, which fits into the album. Ty Tabor told me personally that as of this moment he is the proudest he has ever been about a CD's sound... who am I to argue with that?
The only reason it didnt score 5 stars is that I am not totally in love with 100% the songs (I am not sold on "the kids" and "walk alone")... but this is real close to an absolutely classic release. The generations this spans are enormous.. and jerry pulls it off. If you go in with preconceived notions you might be dissapointed, let the feel be the focus, not what it has to do (or not) with King's X.
Free Music Review: Real life is not a crime...
Hit: 4 Stars
Some people spoke above of liking King's X for their positive stance... I always liked them for their REALISTIC stance. They talked of things both good and bad and didn't hide behind platitudes, they are real people with real problems and they want to be better than they are.
It's great to see this honesty and, yes, there's a very small amount of language on this album and, yes, it deals with a few adult concepts and a bit of escapism, but it's honest and it admits freely that there are better ways and it wishes it could live up to them.
It retains hope.
For those in white towers this album might seem like a downer, but for those of us who _are_ depressed and have to deal with stuff like this, it's light in the darkness still and it's one close enough for us to reach, unlike stupid feel-good rubbish that is completely unbelievable and detached from real life.
Too many Christians live in denial and lie to both God and themselves that everything is perfect, and refuse to even think or talk about real problems.
King's X are honest and real and are worth so much more because they _share_ their tribulations and the trials they have as men trying to make it through their lives.
Enough of that...
Musically this album is different from what I expected, very John Lennon guitar pop type stuff in most places. Melodic and catchy and vastly different in most places from Kings X. I really like it and can happily play it to more of my friends or just leave it on in the background while we're doing something else. Not all of Kings X is as accessible...
Hmmm... Maybe this could be a stepping stone to help get someone into King's X more...