I must say I'm really impressed by GEMS. I love this kind of trip-hop with woman vocals. It brings me to 90's. Really nice, I will definitely check their other songs
I really enjoyed these four tracks. First of all, their sound is excellent. As mentioned before, I love the tone of the guitar that features throughout the tracks. In "Ephemera", it's really quite simple, but it's a joy to hear when it comes in. I don't like the vocal intro to "Medusa". I know that features again behind the male vocals, but I don't see what it serves at the start. Other than that, another fine track. "Sinking Stone" is perhaps my favourite off the EP. But then again, listening to "Pegasus" I think that it continues to get better. Hmm...perhaps the chorus to "Sinking Stone" nudges that one ahead. Either way, four really enjoyable tracks. I shall definitely be looking out for their future works. It'll be interesting to hear how a full album sounds.
Ephemera (not sure what it means) is a slow, melodic start to this four-track EP. Everything about it, from the synth-based start to the slight drums in the background makes this one well worth a listen. There's particular vocal effects on this song as well that gives it some kind of ethereal sound that I love. While those same vocals are quite high, they don't annoy me like I'd thought they might do.
Second track is Medusa and again, the beats and vocal effects are at the forefront of the EP - this time, though, I'm not enjoying those vocals as much. This sounds much like a Bjork song. Medusa has more featured guitar in it, little shimmery tones of it coming through - it's like this song doesn't know what it's doing but whatever it doesn't know it's doing it's doing that just fine.
Sinking Stone. Ah. Much more pronounced guitar and drums here. The tone of the guitar gives this one an interesting sound coupled with those effected drums - and suddenly, the vocals get a lot more intriguing - how they take on a delayed effect over the synth background. There's something so well-done about that bit.
And track four, Pegasus with some more guitar. There's not a real lot of variation of sound and ideas over these four songs - they all have the ethereal / ambient sound to them but each one seems to have a life of its' own. By that I mean this one (Pegasus) gets about half-way and everything seems to get louder and louder and mixes in together (from the synths/bass/drums/vocals). Lots of little interesting guitar sounds and bits makes this one my favourite song on the whole EP.
Overall: A unique choice thus far. It's a quick listen with lots of little ideas that come together really well. Favourite song as above: Pegasus. 8 / 10.
Seriously though if you have the time and are interested in the band, check out their other tracks on their soundcloud. "Never Age" and "All I Ever" are fantastic.
So here we are, two reviews in one. Sorry for the delays, real life has gotten in the way so badly lately!
I haven't listened to a song by any of these bands in my life (as happened with some other bands in this thread - which makes it all more interesting imo).
1. I Got The… - I agree with those who've mentioned the great start. That funky guitar hook and Joss coming in with that Alicia Keys flavour (sorry for the comparison but as I mentioned before, I hadn't listened to her ever before so...) get you into the album really well. Not so keen on the bridge or change in sound from 2:08 on, but hey you can't have it all I liked the gospel-like chorus with a bit of Amazing Grace in there though. Nice ending, slowing, sloowwingg, zzzlooowinngg dowwnnn... 2. (For God's Sake) Give More Power To The People - that start is definitely not Alicia Keys-ish. Aretha Franklin or Gloria Gaynor would suit it better. More standard but equally amazing sound, with the harmonica. I like this song's topic a lot so that might bias me a little, haha. 3. While You're Out Looking For Sugar - standard but lovely. I don't know the original but I like this one. 4. Sideways Shuffle - strongly disagree with Tim - probably my least favorite so far, although I like Linda Lewis version of this song. There's a bit too much going on, and Joss' quick vocal delivery didn't actually get me into the song. 5. I Don't Wanna Be With Nobody But You - best track so far for me. The original is an amazing song in itself, but Joss vocals and the horn section elevate this one to another level. Amazing. 6. Teardrops - Didn't recognise the original at first, but I liked this one from the start - although I feel this one could have used a bit more guitar instead of that driving Hammond organ. 7. Stoned Out of My Mind - Yeah! Some more funky R&B, I love the chord progressions on this one, and the doubled guitars. Lovely track. If I was to find a fault... the end could have been a little more elaborate. 8. The Love We Had (Stays On My Mind) - best vocal delivery so far? Quite possibly. Amazing musical background, guitar and piano complement each other really well on this one. I didn't think I would get goosebumps with this album, but it happened at 2:35 during this song. Wow. 9. The High Road - starting a song with a small guitar solo with Santana flavour wins instantly in my book - no matter the rest! The fact is that the rest lives up to it, another one that goes to top tracks. I don't know the original (haven't listened to anything at all by Broken Bells either) but I'm gonna listen to it straight after the album ends. 10. Pillow Talk - smooth and relaxed, reminds me of Corinne Bailey Rae for some reason. Love it. 11. Then You Can Tell Me Goodbye - so much sad hope in this one... This is one I already want to learn on guitar, it's bittersweet, tender and the violin at the end almost made me cry. Wow.
bonus tracks 12. First Taste of Hurt - I didn't want that soft atmosphere from the last 2 songs to end so I actually stopped First Taste Of Hurt when it came in and let it all rest for a while. Not too keen on the first bonus track, and One Love In My Lifetime followed the same path; standard tracks that could have been in the album or could have not been included at all. Nothing Takes the Place of You, on the other hand, is an amazing waltz-ish ballad that's gone right into the top track list. (1-2-3-4-5-6-7) Count the Days is a forgettable ending, and I actually replayed Nothing Takes.. to wrap it all
Top songs:
1. The Love We Had (Stays On My Mind)
2. I Don't Wanna Be With Nobody But You
3. The High Road / Nothing Takes The Place Of You [bonus track]
Summary
Really enjoyable listen, knowing some of the songs takes away a bit of the fun but it adds the "comparison dimension" which is always interesting too. A few things I didn't like too much on first listen, but they'll surely be gone in succesive listens. Thanks Aidan! 8/10
1. Ephemera - hmmm. I'm sure this comparison won't go down very well, but from what I've heard recently (I know I probably should expand what I listen to), this only sounds similar to Coldplay's last work, which I've despised as their worst one btw. It's like a female singer on-drugs covering something off Ghost Stories after listening to a lot of Sigur Ròs. Not that it's a bad thing in itself, but it's just not entirely my cup of tea. 2. Medusa - this song is a little more bearable than the previous one, but I will stick with Drew's first sentence about it: "it's like this song doesn't know what it's doing [period]". 3. Sinking Stone - still getting marginally better, but I haven't fully enjoyed this stuff yet. The chorus from this one is the best thing of the EP so far, lovely doubled vocals. 4. Pegasus - from the likes of it, it seems GEMS' guitar and drums have finally landed after a long, trippy, awkward and psychedelic journey through the stratosphere. Obviously my favorite song in the EP - and still a pretty long way from what I'd call a "truly great song".
Summary
I love medusas. They're fascinating animals.
Maybe I should start smoking what this guys seem to smoke, I'm sure the music I write would reach a higher level. Or not. But it would go somewhere else, that's for sure. Some place where maybe medusas swim among delay&shimmer guitar pedals while a pegasus with a Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds tattoo dances around. Rating: 1'5/5 -> 2'5/5 -> 3/5 > 4/5.
At first I must say I really love their soud which reminds me of 90's trip-hop bands like Morcheeba, Hooverphonic, Massive Attack, etc... Never heard of them and I'm really impressed.
-Ephemera - If someone doesn't know what does that mean: It is the insect who lives very short time (like just one day). To the song - great athmospheric track to start that creates the mood which lasts for whole time of this EP. Great voice of the singer by the way
-Medusa - best track of this for me and if someone doesn't like that vocal at the start, there exists Medusa Uncut - 6 and a half minutes long and start is totally different. Medusa is really great track and I love that "Pink Floyd" guitars in that
-Sinking Stone - another athmospheric track a little bit poppier, but still great. More guitars than in previous tracks.
-Pegasus - the last and the most guitar track with great synths and I love that chorus.
Summary: 9/10 I really enjoyed this - thank you RattleandHum1988 - and enjoyed all known other tracks by them. I will definitely wait for their album, if they are going to do it... Btw. with other tracks All I Ever, Never Age, Scars, Void Moon, Don't Cry (Seal cover) and Medusa Uncut you could have full lenght album
This EP is really great and more athmospheric than other tracks. So if someone likes more guitars, check the other songs, All I Ever or Never Age could be for you. There is only one thing what I don't like - male vocals - but there's not much of them, so I can live with that
I liked the gospel-like chorus with a bit of Amazing Grace in there though. Nice ending, slowing, sloowwingg, zzzlooowinngg dowwnnn...
