Gringo Star - All Y'all [Album]

My Anxious Mouth Records

October 8, 2008, 05:55 PM

Previously known as A Fir-Ju Well, not much information can be found about this obscure four-piece from Atlanta, other than their summer gigs being well received. Their latest offering All Y'all however seems to have fallen short of the mark, barely able to supply listeners with the energy they appear to offer their live audiences.

Halfway through the first listen to the album and it already feels as though it should have been turned off, in fact it would have been turned off if it hadn't been for Transmission. The band relies heavily on their Motown beats mixed with their raw garage rock guitar tones that the music doesn't really get the chance to diversify. The lyrics stay simple throughout the whole album, and while this isn't always a bad thing, when mixed with repetition in nearly every song it begins to feel as though your mind is slowly melting.

The only two stand out tracks on this album are in fact Transmission and I Will Not Follow, and possibly the reason for only these two tracks standing out is the fact that they're the only two that differ much from the album. The lead singer’s raw voice is replaced by another band member's strong vocals. I Will Not Follow is the kind of track that will have you transported back into the 70s, and is the perfect song for any summer festival.

All Y'all, the first single from the album, is indeed single worthy, it's one of those singles that you would tap along to if it came on the radio and it might even possibly stick in your head, however it's not the kind of track you would instantly rush out and buy just so you can listen to it again and again. Buying the album would probably see you play it a few times before it becomes lost in your iTunes collection or becomes so dusty it's only rediscovered during a spring clean.

Buy it: if you're a fan of Mando Diao or of Atlanta based bands such as The Selmanaires or The Woggles.
Don't buy it: if you like your albums with a bit of diversity.