Retro rock band Gin Lady create welcome rays of light with their new album, Before The Dawn Of Time. Talking about the theme of the music, Sweden’s Gin Lady says, “Before The Dawn Of Time is our view of the world that we live in today both on a larger scale and as individuals. What […]
Retro rock band Gin Lady create welcome rays of light with their new album, Before The Dawn Of Time.
Talking about the theme of the music, Sweden’s Gin Lady says, “Before The Dawn Of Time is our view of the world that we live in today both on a larger scale and as individuals. What are the important things in life? What can we do as fellow humans to make it a better place? There’s a darkness coming or maybe it’s already here, as a veil, it distorts the way we look at things. The lyrics deal with our failure to communicate, the way we treat our environment, and the way nature reacts when provoked by us, the ones that need to stand at the gates and say that’s enough, the fact that love, trust in one another and hope is the only true way out of this mess and that the distance grows between our stars and galaxies.” Veterans of the retro rock scene, Gin Lady creates unique yet familiar sounding rock that is approachable and habit forming. The band is Anthon Johansson (bass, vocals, keys), Fredrik Normark (drums), Johnny Stenberg (guitar, vocals), and Magnus Kärnebro (vocals, guitar).
“The Paramount” sounds like a song traveling minstrels might sing. It sets a pleasant mood up front, settling into goodtime seventies rock with a blush of sixties psychedelia laced with natural sweetener. It is almost disturbingly upbeat. “Mighty River” leans toward the progressive rock meadow, and it displays speedier movement. “Tingens sanna natur,” which Google says translates to “the true nature of things” in English, is trippy, making me wish I could remember where I put the acid. Beautiful guitar work. “The Long Now” is super laid back, while “Ways to Cross the Sky” begins on a ballad foot, then grows into a louder being, and a groovier one, too. When we hit “Turn Back,” its boldness is a head-turner, and you are snapped to attention. It does cool off, yet it never loosens its grip.
I knew going in that the music on the album was going to be in the 1970s rock vein, but I really didn’t expect it to embrace so fiercely that ideology. The experience is total immersion, with contemporary recording sensibilities. “Mulberry Bend” is snappy one that reminds me a bit of the Moody Blues. “The Universe Vibrant Rings” is more introspective, and “The Brain” brings the energy back up. “Bliss on the Line” is a hoedown, and the last piece, “You’re a Big Star,” is both spacey and melancholy. This album is a nice mood diversion. Recommended.
Before The Dawn Of Time is available on Friday, February 7th through Ripple Music. Investigate at the links below.
Links.
Gin Lady links, https://linktr.ee/GinLady
Bandcamp, https://ripplemusic.bandcamp.com/album/before-the-dawn-of-time
Facebook, https://www.facebook.com/people/Gin-Lady/100063948930708/
Ripple Music, https://ripple-music.com/
© Wayne Edwards
