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Gladyss Patches are doing one of two
things with this album. They are either a) mixing a blend of on-the-pulse teenage angst
rock with a smattering of out-there metal raps and guitars, or b) a band who are unsure of
what they want and are having a go at current styles to see if they can pick up a fan base
from anywhere out there.
After a couple of plays, it looks
like the first option is appropriate, which is just as well because experience shows that
trying to aim at all musical styles at once usually results in a band slipping between
them and disappearing without further trace.
The album has the hard-edged
melodic feel of Therapy?
and seems to balance nicely between an I dont care! attitude and an
I dont really know whats going on! style, which will appeal to its
intended audience.
The strength of the album is its
clean production which serves the tight musical sound, the savage but articulate raps, and
the harmony vocal sounds, all of which are to the fore on "Masked," a song which
encapsulates the Gladyss Patches sound as well as any.
The first single is
"Vanishing" which may lead to a degree of confusion until listeners get used to
it. It kicks, literally, with textbook white rock rap, which will need editing if they are
planning airplay in the UK, and heavyweight guitar riffing. But whats this?
Harmonies? No, hang on, were back to the riffing and rapping again. It may mean that
those two distinct audiences may fail to embrace the sound, which is better used on the
collection of songs on the album.
The strongest cut on the album is
"Two Sense" with its stuttering guitar, and layered harmony that will do much to
deflect accusations that the band are simply cannibalising bits of other genres to make a
musical pizza to sell to the confused.
This album stands up well in the
current rap-metal climate. There is no reason why Gladyss Patches shouldnt follow
bands like Linkin Park and garner some serious success. In common with a lot of
Canadian bands, they will probably find success elsewhere first obvious markets in
the US and the UK beckon. A good support tour in England would no doubt get their name
noticed, and from there, a heavyweight support slot in the USA will ensure that the band
have the exposure they need.
As an album it has enough
diversity of sound to lift it above the muddy production and limited melodic appeal that
drags down so much of rap-metal output. The difficulty will be if the fans of the genre
see this collection as a little too clean and diverse for their tastes.
Gladyss Patches are to be
applauded for their invention and the intelligence of their approach. It remains to be
seen whether they can cut it in a market place where those qualities are in short supply,
and possible even shorter demand.
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