Customer Reviews

Gorky 5

5 star:		(2)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

gorky's have done some great stuff in the past, but gorky 5 will take some beating. certain tracks are obviously 60s influenced, such as the nick drake-esque frozen smile, the simon and garfunkel lalala delight that is tsunami, or only the sea makes sense, which sounds like the incredible string band at their best. but it is the moments of beauty like softly, hush the warmth, or the second half of sweet johnny which mark out this album's quality. you won't find any fast songs here, but nevertheless you will love it to pieces

This Welsh band count John Cale (Velvet Undergrounder and fellow Welsh person) as one of their biggest fans, and it's easy to hear why: the folky strums, viola drones, and lovely melodies resemble nothing so much as the Velvets at their poppiest. On their fifth album, they leave behind many of the more prog/indulgent moments that they've exorcised in a series of charming and beautifully flawed albums, and step up to the plate with a cleaner sound. Gone are the jokey lyrics and Soft Machine covers: this appears to the band's bid at some form of mass acceptance. The orchestration here recalls the Zombies and the Beatles (the Gorky's don't suffer under such a comparison). Don't be fooled by the unbelievably ugly cover art: the musical contents are much prettier.

This album is the 5th from the Gorky's and the best yet. The album is a strong moving peice of art that grows on you like nothing else. This band has not had much publicity and have recently been thrown off their old record company but I feel that if given the chance they will make their name and please alot of people.