In recent months it seems that there’s been a bit of a movement, conscious or not, of music being produced that has been steeped in the finest brews of the past, yet at the same time, music that’s brimming with a modern flair and sensibility. Now, I have no idea if the following artists have any intention on changing the complexion of the musical landscape by fusing the sounds of two eras together, but if that is their goal, they’ve made some very huge steps. It’s almost like those old Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup commercials . . . two great tastes that taste great together? Well, pop powerhouse People and the gutter meets glamorous Gala have fused two great sounds that sound great together. You heard it here first? Not sure if that's true and it doesn’t really matter . . . just as long as you hear it.
People – The ClichéOkay. This was the last thing that I expected. I mean, I was completely taken by surprise, not so much by the fact that these guys put together a fantastic pop-a-rific slab of rock, but more that I like it as much as I do. From the moment the deep bass tones of “Song For The People” kicks in and the underlying melody takes off, I was immediately reminded of 80’s pop icons like Michael Jackson or Thomas Dolby or A-Ha or all of the above. The hooks and the melody are those instantly catchy lines of sound that stick with you for a lifetime, but then People incorporated a sound that, like the Spanish Inquisition, I was not expecting. A punk rock immediacy, an urgency, an edgy street-wise sound started to percolate through the shimmering pop surface. This, my friends, is where I reached for the volume knob and cranked it clockwise as fast as I could. Wow! Now, mixed with that mid-80’s Cars pop sensibility, we have a Clash-type attitude that creates this perfect blend of dance floor peppiness that’s powered along by a great low end groove. The sound is big and moving, the composition is perfection with a great amount of dynamics and textures, and that great rock ‘n roll attitude permeates through the snotty vocal performance. Simply put, this is an awesome song.
People don’t let up as “The Kids” kicks in. Up tempo and layered with some sweet toned guitars chugging their way along the groove, this song is a pure rocker. Fat with both melodic verses and choruses, “The Kids” is a fitting single from The Cliché. I always love it when a band can write a three to four minute pop song and inject so many dynamics that the song sounds larger than life, and People certainly do that with this one. The band breaks the song down to add extra elements of life, the vocals are packed with nuance and flavor, flanged out guitars scream across the melody as the song starts to wind down, all the little things that make listening to the song an adventure every time through. “Come Back” is a God damned fun song! It’s another upbeat burner that will inevitably have the feet tapping along with the beat. Filled with some nifty technical production, the song moves through three minutes plus like the rest of the world was standing still. The chorus has that fresh out of the dryer static cling thing going on . . . you’ll find it attached to the back of your shirt as you’re humming down the aisles of the supermarket.
Only six songs long, The Cliché is a just add water and you’re satisfied piece of pop rock excitement. No ballads, no sappy love songs, just straight up rock that fuses two generations of music together as if it were always meant to be that way. People make it look, er . . . sound easy, though I’m sure that crafting such a marvelous piece of pop perfection was as easy as diffusing a nuclear armament with seven seconds left on the timer. If you’re looking for a hearty dose of fun filled, light hearted, yet driving and attitude riddled rock, look no further than The Cliché.
Gala – Tough LoveThe surprises never seem to cease. Based on the CD cover, I was certain that Gala’s Tough Love was going to be some dirty chick rock with a bone to pick with every biped with a penis. Seriously, I love when I’m wrong! Tough Love is a collection of six songs that get the ass shaking on the dance floor, but with enough of a rock edge for me to take it serious. Think Crimes and Passion era Pat Benatar with a big time dancibility and you have the makings of the opening track, “Dkol (Different Kind of Love).” A fuzzed out guitar sound powers the song while the rhythmic dance beat gets the hips moving. But what gets me is the vocal performance. Gala has that balance of pitch perfect diva-ness while retaining a street-wise edge that gets me thinking of Benatar, Go-Go’s era Belinda, Debbie Harry . . . y’know, all those iconic female vocalists of the 80’s that showed that they could be sexy while they flexed their muscles. The best part of the song occurs as Gala begins singing the second verse and she reaches deep within her being, her voice cracking and squealing with impassioned nuance. The chorus is as catchy as anything out there, filled with great vocal melodies while the rhythm pulses on. Yeah . . . I can listen to this one again. Hey! Mr. DJ! Let’s do that one again!
Without a pause, Gala leads us into the sultry, though no less groovin’ tune “Faraway.” There are a lot of nifty production tricks going on with vocal edits, but even stripped down to an acoustic, this song has a soul to it. Again, we’re treated to an addictive melody. From verse to chorus, this song sticks around walks step for groovin’ step with the listener all day long. “Tough Love” kicks in with a little more attitude, filled with feminine power, and highlights Gala’s vocal abilities. She easily shifts from a punked out vocal squeal to straight up melodic rock to jazz lounge in the chorus of a minute. “I’m the World” gets the dance floor moving once again with quick paced vocals over a mid tempo floor burning rhythm. Not content to keep the vocal style in a box, Gala floats easily through a wide array of styles, all of the worked to perfection. Yeah . . . I’m feeling the boom-boom in my soul, alright. “Freed From Desire” . . . forget about it! It’s simply a hot ass song!
Not usually one for dance music, I found Tough Love to be a slab of music as compelling as anything I’ve heard in the past six months. I figure, if the music’s gonna’ get me dancing in my chair, tapping my toes, bobbing my head in time, and have me coming back for more, then it’s worth time and money. Gala’s vocal abilities are captured as she works through a variety of musical styles ranging from a more rock-type edge to a soulful R&B style. And, not only does it vary in musical styles, but Tough Love touches sounds from eras past, more specifically the 80’s. There’s a great vibe of Pat Benatar and Blondie attitude, Go-Go’s and Motels pop sensibility and it’s mixed with a modern dance club low end that helps shake any of the “dated” sounds off the body of work. This disc is anything but tough to love. - Pope JTE
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