Bad News. The Gala

Another album that came to me via an email from the band itself. This time it concerns a real punkrock album. By necessity it is more one dimensional than the two guitar based albums discussed on the first two days of this week.

A punk band from Boston not on Rum Bar Records? My worldly believes are shaken and stirred! Luckily things fall back in place when I read that the album presentation show is together with Muck and the Mires, reviewed last year on this blog. All in another part of the world unfortunately. Otherwise I certainly would have been present.

The Gala scores a point or two quickly on its debut album. From the get go the pedal is to the metal. The band goes full out like a 100 meter sprinter shooting out of the starting block. Emily Doran snarls her vocals into the mike, the band lays down an oh so solid foundation, with one really distinctive sound: Rebecca Frank's organ. High sounding, almost as irritant as a mosquito in summer when trying to fall asleep. Except that here it is a very welcome sound. It sets The Gala apart from many other bands.

Live this must be a joy to present at. The tempo is up and upper. The songs beg moving to, the lyrics and melodies allow for singing along quite easily. At home things are different. Bad News is not an album for all times of the day. Certainly it is for the moments when energy is in need of being lost. During cooking, if I'm alone that is, Bad News certainly works for me.

In the end I need a little more variation in an album than Bad News offers. Here the same goes as for most other punkrock albums. Having said that the force called Emily Doran is formidable, the guitar licks of Chris Kenneally are often interesting, the drums Pietro Pietroforte forceful and the bass I do not notice as usual (sorry, Justin Perilli), although I'm certain to miss it when not there. The cherry is the already mentioned organ. Together The Gala is a band that convinces and live I am certain will deliver the party the band's name promises. Better leave the tuxedos and gala dresses at home though.

Wo.


You can listen to and buy Bad News here:

https://thegalasound.bandcamp.com/


or listen to our Spotify Playlist to find out what we are writing about:

https://open.spotify.com/user/glazu53/playlist/6R9FgPd2btrMuMaIrYeCh6?si=KI6LzLaAS5K-wsez5oSO2g