Gypsy features members of killer hardcore bands like Bad Seed, Blacklisted, and Cold World heading in an entirely different direction, accurately said to be "in the vein of Jawbreaker, Seaweed, Dinosaur Jr., and Knapsack"—all bands that I'm a fan of, but I was still a little concerned as to how Gypsy's take on said approach would turn out. Well, their debut release is a two-song 7" single (from Six Feet Under Records), and I'm pleased to report that the results are quite fuckin' good, and I definitely wish there were more than two songs here. I don't really hear the energy of Seaweed in these tunes at all, but they seem to be going for a "24 Hour Revenge Therapy" type of guitar tone with some of that ringing distance in place, which certainly brings in a significant Jawbreaker influence to "Relatively Distant", and there are definitely some Dinosaur Jr.-esque leads in "Skeleton Parade", while the slower-paced style of catchiness that the songwriting possesses does remind me a bit of Knapsack (not that the label's comparisons are supposed to be too literal, but hey, they do make sense, so I ran with it). I'm way into this. Hell, dare I say, I think I'd be more interested in hearing some new material from Gypsy before anything from these guys' hardcore bands! What can I say?
Gypsy "Relatively Distant" (excerpt)
Get It
Six Feet Under Records (7")
Deathwish Inc. (7")
RevHQ (7")
Amazon.com (mp3)
eMusic (mp3)
iTunes (mp3)
Comments
I’m pretty sure this one was included in a package intended for me by the label but the custom pigs seem to have lost the package or sent it back to the States! This review makes me even more pissed about the whole thing.
11.3.2009 | By Birkir
Got this just recently and this sure is good. Hard to find any information if there is any other releases planned etc. I’d love to hear a full lengths worth of the songs. And by the way Andrew check out myspace.com/crushedonyou if you’re not familiar with them already. I’ve been way too much into this kinda 90’s influenced stuff this year.
11.3.2009 | By Samuli
don’t know how you can’t hear seaweed in there. that riff could have been lifted straight off of weak or four.
11.3.2009 | By Tim
I guess because I only have “Spanaway” and “Actions and Indications”, which are more blatantly catchy and energetic in my opinion.
11.3.2009 | By Andrew Aversionline
whoa dude. spanaway is damn good and actions and indications has it’s ups and downs but you need to have weak and four especially. four is a fucking all time great album.
11.3.2009 | By Tim
“Weak” has to be Seaweed’s best album. I think Sub Pop may have let it go out of print awhile back but a copy can still be had a decent price. I’d get one soon if you like band.
Saw them live during the “Spanaway” era and they were great.
11.4.2009 | By db
I have to disagree. I’ve sampled the early albums extensively and nothing holds a candle to “Spanaway” for me. “Magic Mountainman”, “Start With”, “Free Drug Zone”, you just can’t fuck with that kind of songwriting!
11.4.2009 | By Andrew Aversionline