Customer Reviews

Salamander

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

 

 

If you like Guided by Voices, you will like this very solid effort. The songs take interesting twists (signaled, usually, by strange changes in terms of guitar chords), and the melodies are instantly memorable and always pleasant--yet challanging. Kinda shows you that Bob Pollard of gbv fame maybe should rethink his attitude to overproductivity cause so many of his albums have total throwaways. i don't think doug gillard listens to Genesis the way Bob does (early Genesis--a good but very tricky influence). Also: you won't get sick of this CD--it keeps surprising you. I want to plug something here too: Robyn Hitchcock's Spooked. It is very haunting!

Dang, this disc is an absolute glory to listen to. I am glad that Doug has chosen to record and release this album, for it has made the world a better place. Hooray!

This is some damn good rock and roll - unpretentious and just plain cool. For you that don't know, Doug Gillard was the lead guitarist in Guided By Voices, only one of the greatest contemporary rock 'n roll bands ever. Sadly, they are no more, and no one will miss their triumphant live performances more than me, but anyhoo, on to the review.

There's just a lot of quality songs on here - no filler to my ears. Even GBV albums had some songs I just didn't care for or felt were uninspired, but this is like George Harrison's "All Things Must Pass", where a sideman steps out from a well-known band and produces a work that astounds.....I listen to this more than most GBV stuff, honestly - it's hard to even single out individual tracks 'cos they're all pretty great (and varied). He understands pacing, too : there are some slower, quieter numbers like "Blockout" (mildly psychedelic). I have a hard time listening to the one about his mom dying, though. "Give Me Something" might be my favorite song on the whole thing - it's just plain [...] cool.

I also like how you can hear extraneous noises on a few tracks - the slide of fingers on guitar strings, a shaker falling to the ground - stuff like that is great to me. Idiosyncratic. And his lower register voice is cool. So make another one, Doug - we'll be waiting - tour or no.

Gillard steps out of the post-GBV shadows with Salamader, proving once again his brilliance in both melodic pop/rock/prog songwriting and performance. This album is a delight from beginning to end- introspective, spirited, honest and provocative with heart-on-your-sleave lyrics that ring true. Highlights are the driving "Going Back (To You), the emotional and alternately lovely and creepy "Present", and the lightning bolt that is "Symbols, Signs". Here's hoping Salamander will not be overlooked in this age of Clear Channel, American Idol and corporate rock...