Gypsy Chief Goliath – New Machines Of The Night

Ahh, Yuletide. Don’t you just love it? The shops go crazy as millions of citizens fight for the last items needed for their loved ones, the mince pies are consumed in their thousands, children base their entire presents list on the television adverts and people drunkenly shout ‘IT’S CHRIST-MAAAAAAASSSSSSS!!!!’ into a clapped out karaoke machine in some pub in the back end of nowhere. Meanwhile, at PlanetMosh, our 12 Reviews of Christmas continues and today sees us take a look at New Machines of the Night, the second studio album by Canadian stoner rockers Gypsy Chief Goliath, or G.C.G. Formed in 2011, New Machines…marks the first release on Pitch Black Records for the band, who describe their sound as Thin Lizzy meets Black Sabbath and comprise of three guitar players, one bassist, a drummer and, um, a harmonica player. Yeah, I’m as intrigued as you are.

Opening track Uneasy Kings is solid enough, a thoroughly good rock stomper that, whilst not breaking a huge amount of uncovered ground, succeeds in getting the album off to a good start. Along with Are You Through and Busting the Avenue, the Sabbath influence is very evident – slow tempo, down tune guitars and a moody atmosphere to begin the record, Al Petrovich’s gravely voice getting heads to nod subconsciously along. It’s only when Dirt Meets Rust kicks in that you begin to hear the Thin Lizzy vibe creep into the mix, the song being a faster number than previous. The same holds true for St. Coven’s Tavern, which opens with duelling guitars and then segues into a strutter of a song which bubbles away nicely under the surface. It might not be Black Star Riders but it does enough to get you interested without alienating you at all. We finally get Brodie Stevenson’s harmonica too, in the form of a solo and it works: it adds an interesting dynamic as well because it doubles up as a fourth guitar sound. What would have been better is if they’d cut off the tape at the end of the recording; we hardly need to hear band members calling ‘Good form’ to one another as another take in the studio is wrapped up.

The highlight on the album is Secret Liason, which could easily be played as you drive through the Southern USA states, ‘old-timers’ in dungarees sitting in their rocking chairs on the porches of their houses: it’s got everything, the groove of metal with the feel of a blues song and it hangs in the air quite beautifully. This White Owl gets heads banging a little more, whilst Slow Leak and Fought For Death provide a very satisfying conclusion to affairs. One of the elements that gives this album such a good vibe is the fact that it was recorded in analogue – there’s no technical wizardry on hand, you get what you hear, and sometimes you just can’t go wrong with an attitude that has served AC/DC and Motorhead so well over the years.

In summary the album is, to use a British allegory, very ‘meat ‘n’ potatoes’ – it’s honest, straightforward and doesn’t really stray too far from the norm. But it’s made with the finest quality ingredients and a touch of spice with the inclusion of the harmonica, and actually it’s a very good slab of music to digest.

Lineup

Al “the Yeti” Petrovich – vocals, guitar
Sean Hamilton – guitar
Gypsy Dave Ljubanovich – lead guitar
Adam Saitti – drums
Sean De Faria – bass
Brodie Stevenson – harmonica

Track Listing

1. Uneasy Kings
2. Are You Pulling Through
3. Busting the Avenue
4. Dirt Meets Rust
5. St. Coven’s Tavern
6. Got No Soul
7. Secret Liason
8. This White Owl
9. Slow Leak
10. Fought for Death

Links

Website: http://gypsychiefgoliath.com
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/GypsyChiefGoliath
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/gypsychiefband

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