When I first popped this record into my CD player, I thought at first that first I'd accidentally picked up a Gomez CD. The eclectic, diverse clanking of Gomez sounds oddly familiar to what you have here. I wasn't surprised then, to find that this record was actually co-produced by Gomez guitarist Ian Ball.

This might be Gelbison's first full-length release, but it looks like they already have a bunch of friends in the music industry. As pointed out above, they somehow managed to get Ian Ball to produce the record, and Ben Lee also co-wrote Good God and contributed some other lyrics about the place. The influences definitely show, but thankfully, Gelbison also manage to merge their own sounds into this mish-mash of external influences, and what comes out is quite pleasing.

Gelbison are not afraid to throw in a few neat new sounds now and then either. While most other bands experiment with new instruments by throwing in a keyboard or piano, or maybe even some strings if they're feeling adventurous, Gelbison throw a trumpet, string quartet, and harmonica into the mix. All in the first song. Incidentally, that first track, Kabana, is also the highlight of the album, executing the band's lofty ambitions flawlessly. Other songs, like Metal Detector, also more or less hit the mark this way, while others, such as Time collapse under the weight of these excesses, turning into a plodding, meandering mess that will have you reaching for the track skip button.

It's hard to say whether this album is brilliant or mediocre. Individual tracks, like Homelands and the single Good God paint happy pictures with their fractured, surreal pop music. Other songs though, like Norway, Time, and Au Revoir Fucker are either over-produced or just plain boring. It all seems to blend into a tapestry, almost as if this was some sort of esoteric concept album, but individual parts of it really grate.

All in all, when you stand back and look at this record from a distance, it's a good record. Get closer, and you'll notice that some parts are spectacular and brilliant, while other parts are terrible. It still ends up on the sunny-side of 50%, simply because the good songs are more good than the bad songs are bad. Perhaps with more practice, Gelbison will be able to manage a more stable, and more consistent sound in the future. In the meantime, if you turn a blind eye to the lesser tracks, this is a good release, one that will definitely appeal to those who enjoy mature, thoughtful music.

When I first popped this record into my CD player, I thought at first that first I'd accidentally picked up a Gomez CD. The eclectic, diverse clanking of Gomez sounds oddly familiar to what you have here. I wasn't surprised then, to find that this record was actually co-produced by Gomez guitarist Ian Ball.

This might be Gelbison's first full-length release, but it looks like they already have a bunch of friends in the music industry. As pointed out above, they somehow managed to get Ian Ball to produce the record, and Ben Lee also co-wrote Good God and contributed some other lyrics about the place. The influences definitely show, but thankfully, Gelbison also manage to merge their own sounds into this mish-mash of external influences, and what comes out is quite pleasing.

Gelbison are not afraid to throw in a few neat new sounds now and then either. While most other bands experiment with new instruments by throwing in a keyboard or piano, or maybe even some strings if they're feeling adventurous, Gelbison throw a trumpet, string quartet, and harmonica into the mix. All in the first song. Incidentally, that first track, Kabana, is also the highlight of the album, executing the band's lofty ambitions flawlessly. Other songs, like Metal Detector, also more or less hit the mark this way, while others, such as Time collapse under the weight of these excesses, turning into a plodding, meandering mess that will have you reaching for the track skip button.

It's hard to say whether this album is brilliant or mediocre. Individual tracks, like Homelands and the single Good God paint happy pictures with their fractured, surreal pop music. Other songs though, like Norway, Time, and Au Revoir Fucker are either over-produced or just plain boring. It all seems to blend into a tapestry, almost as if this was some sort of esoteric concept album, but individual parts of it really grate.

All in all, when you stand back and look at this record from a distance, it's a good record. Get closer, and you'll notice that some parts are spectacular and brilliant, while other parts are terrible. It still ends up on the sunny-side of 50%, simply because the good songs are more good than the bad songs are bad. Perhaps with more practice, Gelbison will be able to manage a more stable, and more consistent sound in the future. In the meantime, if you turn a blind eye to the lesser tracks, this is a good release, one that will definitely appeal to those who enjoy mature, thoughtful music.