The Galileo 7 “Staring at the Sound“
Opening with crunchy retro riffs on “Anne Hedonia,” its a solid throwback to 60’s British bands like the Kinks, The Strawberry Alarm Clock and The Creation. Fans of The Action and Len Price 3 will also find a lot to like here. The compositions are clean and harmonies crisp on the organ-guitar combo of “Paradise.” Lead guitar Allan Crockford makes it all an easy listen on the ears, the swirling guitars and psychedelic synths that The Moody Blues have mastered are done with equally dazzling effect on “Waiting to Cross.”
The songs seem to get stronger as the album progresses, “Hiding From The Sun” starts winsome, and builds to a rich melodic chorus. “Not Gonna Miss You” and “Don’t Fly Too High” groove pretty hard and I didn’t find a single throw away track on the album. If anything it adheres too close those flower power sounds, and will easily fool anyone under 30 that this wasn’t a classic album from 1968 or part of the Austin Powers soundtrack.
Amy Gore “In Love”
As leader of garage rock darlings The Gore Gore Girls, Amy Gore wears her classic pop influences well. She sounds like a mix of Karla Kane (Corner Laughers) and Chrissy Hynde (Pretenders) with an sharp romantic wit. “Driving Around” is perfect crusin’ music, a hummable melody that sticks in your head for the whole trip. Continuing with The car theme, “Cadillac” has some neat guitar licks and “Just A Dream” is another memorable single. Amy shows us a softer side on “I’m Addicted” but it doesn’t stay that way, as the love obsessed chorus plays on.
Some great guitar work is heard throughout, especially on “Static” and the blistering riffs of “You Won’t Lead Me On.” Overall a solid debut that should put this former Gore-Gore girl from the garage into mainstream pop success without straying far from her rock roots.