Providing an intriguing teaser to his recently released new album, Something You Weren’t is a potent invitation into the musical world of b.d. Gottfried. The track is taken from Through The Dog’s Eyes, the successor to the well-received Motion Fever of two years back and hints at a new wave of creative energy and diverse flavouring in the already boisterous Gottfried sound whilst offering plenty of infectious enterprise to get wrapped up in.
Creating a lively mix of progressive and classic melodic rock with plenty of additional styles and spices, Canada hailing Bill Gottfried has grown from a kid of fourteen playing his first show, through years building his reputation as a session musician and writer, to an artist with a string of keenly played tracks across Canada, the US, UK and Europe as well as those previous seven increasingly acclaimed albums. Through The Dog’s Eyes is no different, being declared Gottfried’s finest moment yet, a claim which Something You Weren’t provides plenty of backing up for.
As the album, recorded with producer Siegfried Meier, Something You Weren’t emerges from a sonic fog with tenacious riffs and rhythms courted by a melodic excitement. Keys throw their dance into the mix soon after as Gottfried’s distinctive tones unveil the lyrical heart of the song.
Instantly catchy, the track swings along with a bold liveliness as the familiar imaginative enterprise of its creator plays. To that though, there is an air of confidence and a swagger in the writing and sound arguably not heard before in Gottfried’s songs. It all makes for a highly inviting and enjoyable moment in time as well as a strong lure to the exploits of Through The Dog’s Eyes and the continuing evolution in the b.d. Gottfried adventure.
Something You Weren’t and Through The Dog’s Eyes are out now; available @ https://bdgottfried.bandcamp.com/album/through-the-dogs-eyes
http://www.bdgottfried.com/ https://twitter.com/bdgottfried/
Pete RingMaster 17/08/2017
Copyright RingMaster: MyFreeCopyright
The sheer drama of the outstanding proposition continues through next up Phantasmal Planetoid. Its climate is instantly darker and more formidable as the bass snarls, never losing its heavy trespass as the song moves on to court a boisterous gait with turns of tetchier growls. It is masterful stuff, stoner and doom essences colluding with those earlier mentioned flavours as vocals and harmonies soar. No lightweight on addiction loaded hooks either, the song is manna for ears and instincts, a consuming persuasion also bred in the voracious antics of The Darkest End and immediately after within The Reverend. The first of the two aligns carnivorous riffs and bass irritability with spell spun grooves and the ever bewitching vocal union across the band. It resembles a fusion of Blood Ceremony and Jess and The Ancient Ones, yet is as individual to Kabbalah as you could wish for. Its successor is almost punk like at times, an underlying crabby edge flaring up across its psych and post punk spiced tapestry like a hybrid growth from a union of Au Pairs, Cradle, and Deep Purple.
Postatomic Hotel similarly has that familiar eighties groove, their melodic rock hues luring ears with ease though it is the chorus which seals the deal; its catchiness and tone pure flirtation. It is a quality which also lines the contrasting croon of L.A. Mist, its melodic tapestry the seed to fiercer sonic flames and dramatic weaves of energy and emotion. Both tracks captivate but still pale a little against the out and out stomp of Monkey Junkie, a growling, air punching slab of pure rock ‘n’ roll which enslaves within its first horny groove.
Thy Will Be Done is a grievous groove fest littered with invasive hooks and sonic irritability around the equally fuelled growls of James while Light Bleeds Through the Black straight after is a sinister at times almost darkly lecherous protagonist of ears and imagination interrupted by predatory bursts of volcanic ferocity. Both crowd around barbarous basslines from Van Fleet and the wickedly swung beats of Krukowski, a union of dexterity as addictive as the ravenous enterprise around them. The fade out of the first is annoying but a minor gripe in one of the album’s major highlights, a height matched by its successor and the demonian seduction of Bury the Wicked where again lava-esque enterprise meets provocative malevolence.
The track is superb, the perfect introduction and quickly backed up by the stoner/blues sultriness of Soul. Like Stone Temple Pilots engaged in psych rock flavoured escapades, the song croons and prowls the senses; the grooves of Graham especially flavoursome before it all makes way for the lighter infectious stroll of Criminal. Again grooves and hooks create a web easy to get caught up in, the heavier rhythmic enterprise an additional cage keeping ears and enjoyment in close attendance.
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The following Blind Taste is of the same ilk but instantly revealing its own funky swagger and melodic character led by Logeais’ fine vocals and the ever persuasive enterprise of Sarthou’s keys. A touch more restrained than its predecessor yet with an energy and zeal to its magnetic stroll, Orsini’s guitar adds extra sonic endeavour to the weave of grooves and melodies courted by robust rhythms before the outstanding Vampire Lady teases and taunts with its seventies blues ‘n’ soul hued dance.
Good variety across Sucker is another potent attribute, the country blues drama of Arms Dealer, which features guest Damon T, providing a flavoursome turn in the album’s landscape while Dadgerous featuring Bison Steed wraps itself in a Kyuss meets Red Fang-esque roar. The track is outstanding, a virulent trespass of the senses which ignites the spirit and energies of those it touches.