ERIC GALES
"That's
What I Am" (Nightbird / MCA; 2001)
Reviewed by R. Scott Bolton
Eric Gales is a blues rocker like Jimi Hendrix was or Lenny Kravitz and Buddy Guy are. His songs are heavily guitar-driven, filled with bluesy licks and razorwire leads. Vocally, he sounds a bit like Hendrix but is much more of a singer, reaching levels that Hendrix only dreamed of.
The twelve songs on this CD are all heavily blues-tinged and range from the faster and riffier ("That's What I Am") to the slower, more emotionally charged ("So Good If You Could," "Blue Misty Mornin'," and everything else in between. "Insane" sounds like one of those funky, bizarre songs that ZZ Top used to do which is interesting because the last song on the CD is a lead riff-infused cover of that band's "Just God Paid." And, speaking of covers, Gale's cover of Hendrix's "Foxey Lady" is another winner, sounding a lot like Hendrix's version but featuring Gales' fresh attack. "You Ugly," the second-to-last track on the CD, is a hysterical near-rap number with lyrics like, "Bad clothes and too much hair; leave on your underwear; you ain't got a prayer with me, girl."
The production is nothing short of stellar here, as well. The guitars are brilliant, the vocals clear and clean, the music perfectly balanced.
If you like your music with a heavy dose of blues, you can't go wrong with "That's What I Am."
Eric Gales Band: Eric Gales - vocals, guitar, bass; Edward "Hot" Cleveland - Drums; Paul Taylor - bass.
For more information, check out http://www.myspace.com/ericgales.
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 © 2004 by R. Scott Bolton. All rights
reserved.
Revised:
18 Nov 2024 12:24:00 -0500.
