Clay J Gladstone – People Like You
What did young misfits looking to build a career for themselves before there was punk rock. Run away with the circus, I guess. Join a South American guerilla army? Start selling snake oil out of a van? Try getting really good at pool?
The truth is that punk-rock, back when it began, as is the case now, offered an opening into an entertainment system that would otherwise have done all it could to keep certain people out. Being a punk-rocker gave musicians the excuse to try anything musically and land upon, perhaps, a genuine hit.
Little has changed in that respect, apart from the music production and the style trends. Clay J Gladstone construct a sharp, melodic, dynamic pop-punk single with People Like You. It’s designed not only to get them gigs on a Sunday night but also to give them a shot at the charts. Do they deserve it? Sure they do. The future is ready for punk-rockers with ambition, even if the rest of the world would rather see them fail.
Under the Gallows – I Believe
A rock scene, most people think, is built on the strength of people that share the same ambitions and passions. While this certainly plays into it, really, a scene is built on a great formula. The better and easier to follow the formula, the likelier it is for that style to thrive and persevere well into the future.
Seattle grunge music was never expected to be more than a place where young musicians with a passion for 70s punk and early Black Sabbath got to express themselves. The formula that bands like Soundgarden came up with, though, was so effective that even today, numerous bands across the world are taking a cue from them.
Mastering this sound, however, is no small feat. Unlike punk, it requires a good deal of practice and perseverance. Judging by the impressive singing and paying that can be found on Under the Gallows’ I Believe this is exactly what this Texas rock group has poured into their music. A convincing rock number from a highly dedicated group of musicians.
