A GIRL A GUN A GHOST
"Save This City" (Hotfoot
Records; 2006)
Reviewed by R. Scott Bolton
The thing about hardcore is that it often sounds exactly the same, whether it's ten tracks on a single artist's CD or a bunch of hardcore tracks on a compilation. Hardcore is one of those genres that kind of has to sound the same; otherwise, maybe it's not really hardcore.
With "Save This City," the curiously named A Girl A Gun A Ghost deliver marble slab after marble slab of hardcore fury but they do so with a freshness that makes them stand slightly apart from other hardcore acts. The music is raw and caustic but there's a hint of a melody beneath the rage as well. It's not a big difference, mind you, but it's different enough to make the band worth a listen.
Those who don't like hardcore vocals won't be won over by this band's vocal style, which is just about as typically hardcore as you can get (read angry and monotone). But the varied rhythms and dynamics of the five songs here are individual enough to show that this band has a slightly different tone and attitude than most hardcore bands and, for many, that may be enough.
For more information, check out http://www.myspace.com/agirlagunaghost.
Rating Guide:
A classic. This record will kick your ass.
Killer. Not a classic but it will rock your world.
So-so. You've heard better.
Pretty bad. Might make a nice coaster.
Self explanatory. Just the sight of the cover makes you wanna hurl.
Copyright ? 2007 by R. Scott Bolton. All rights
reserved.
Revised: 01 Jul 2024 12:10:24 -0400.
