Ken Farrell didn’t start out a front man. First he was in the indie rock band Clementine with some friends. Not being fully able to pursue his sometimes bizarre musical vision with them, he left Clementine and founded Gravity Wave. Their first self-titled, self-released album was an electronic album that at times had an experimental, new age feel to it.

Gravity Wave’s elaborate live shows, which have at various times included a 12 year-old dancing tambourine player, dance routines, a ten-piece orchestra, accompanying films and more, gained them a following in Toronto and a deal with Fuzzy Logic Recordings for their second release, “Twin Prime Conjecture.” This 7-song EP of danceable electro-pop was a much more accessible effort.

Gravity Wave has returned with their third release, “Gambol.” This full-length release picks up where “Twin Prime Conjecture” left off, bringing the band further into Pop music and perhaps reaching a wider audience. That is not to say the band has left its quirky and bizarre roots behind - far from it. The lyrics throughout the disc are as strange as you could hope for and the complex arrangements feature clarinet, saxophones, trumpet, cello, flute, violin, viola, a slew of guitars and a variety of percussive instruments.

At their most mainstream, Gravity Wave reminds me of Damon Albarn (Blur, Gorillaz) particularly because Farrell’s delivery is reminiscent of Albarn’s. This includes some of my favorites on the album, like ‘Bangs,’ a small but funky tune with flute and strings bridging the verses, ‘Fishhook,’ an alternately delicate and danceable track built around a fat piano hook, and ‘Gimme Every Love You Got’, an odd and oozy love song. On these songs, the idiosyncratic lyrics are supported by musical depth and catchy instrumental lines and Gravity Wave achieves great pop alchemy.


Occasionally, songs on “Gambol,” are musically thin (‘Hot Spring’) or are just overwhelmed by the weirdness (‘Kumquat’). Perhaps they would work better live. On these, Farrell’s sing-songy chant becomes grating and these few dislikeable tracks would keep me from putting in the disc and spinning it in its entirety. However, I did rip a handful of the songs to my iPod where I will be delighted to hear them pop up in rotation.

On the whole, I recommend “Gambol.” I like it when artists stretch my ears a little bit and tug pop in interesting directions. Farrell and company have committed to their artistic muse with skill and integrity, which I always find appealing.