Customer Reviews

Armory Square

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I know the family, so I'm biased, but this is a terrific CD. Gary has a great voice, a powerful command of the rhythms of his lyrics and the guitar in his hands, and a whole lotta soul in his songs. These are, I believe, songs he plays live, much as they appear here, so this disc is something like you'd hear in any of the Syracuse clubs where he appears regularly. I think it's a worthy addition to your collection, if you like "hard folk" akin to what Michael Hedges did when he performed live. This is the real thing, kids.

Gary Frenay's "Armory Square" is one of those small CDs that are likely to fly under the radar screens of most, but is well worth seeking out. Gary is a Syracuse NY-based singer who had previously worked with bands Flashcubes and Screen Test. "Armory Square" is 99.9% acoustic with Gary's lovely pop-folk melodies center stage. Whether he's singing the opener "I'll Never Forget You" or "December Boys," his songs combine a great emotional wallop delivered inside a sweet musical gumdrop. On "Big Secret" he sings, "Now her life is in pieces around her & her love gets a lasting look; some lessons that you learn in life aren't written in a book." "Good Morning, Merry Sunshine" sounds like a melody he channeled from James Taylor with its sweet sunny disposition. One of the tunes that resonates for me is "Friendly Fire" with its romantic analogy of love like war where we hurt those who we love.

While I retain a large music library, most of the novels I read pass through my hands. However, of the books I've hung onto during the years, I have the most books by 70s author Richard Brautigan. His books "In Watermelon Sugar," "The Pill Versus the Springhill Mine Disaster" and "Loading Mercury With A Pitchfork" were staples that caught my imagination with his great innocence. Here, Gary Frenay also pays homage in the only song I know of that acknowledges him. "Richard Brautigan" is a ballad that puzzles over his suicide, particularly compared to the loving warm books that I periodically pull off my shelf.

My very favorite track is "Chevy" because it's just so much fun. "She was born in '75 to a gas-pumping man, Twenty cents a gallon on the family plan," launches the little toe-tapper and proceeds to detail a girl next door named Chevrolet. "Armory Square" is an excellent little gem, easy to miss, but well worth the effort to discover! Enjoy!