Losing
Their Minds, Winning Our Hearts
Rory Beck
Band: Gambit
EP/Single/Album: Beginning to Lose Our
Minds (EP)
Genre: Alternative Rock
Tracks: 6
Once you hit play, you're met with
something you don't really expect. It has a steady build, but as soon
as it's going, you've found something. A cover of a song that was
hugely popular on it's release – Tinie Tempah's Pass Out. It
easily sounds better. Gambit did something I really didn't think
anyone could do; they made a cover of a song I hate, and made me love
it.
As soon as that closes, you're met with
Homewrecker, the EP's ballad track. It's big in sound, it's
big in feel - the guitars deserve to be played in a stadium
somewhere. The vocals are gritty yet full, and the underlying
arpeggio with the intro are all just what the group need to really
sink you in - especially after being so easily snaked by the Pass
Out cover.
Smoke's up next, and this time
we have a more modern rock style piece – like what you'd hear
played on the rock radio stations. It fits neatly behind Homewrecker;
it's not too fast, it's not too slow. It's just somewhere in the
middle, letting you recover for the pace – the piece of fluid and
fluent.
Mr. Impossible is a real eye
catcher – the same feeling I got when I first listened to Alice in
Chains' Man in a Box track
quickly overwhelms me. It's solid, it's firm, it's gripping; it's
melodic grunge at it's finest. The gruff, gritty sound with plenty of
dischord and disonance, the kind of song you want to soundtrack with
a grueling movie fight scene.
As Mr.
Impossible closes, I'm met with what is probably my favourite song of
the album. One Last Look is All I Got
is like a great Red Hot Chilli Peppers track had sex with an
excellent Audioslave number. It's got a feel of funk and groove
through an eargasmic sounding bass. One Last Look
is just a little slower, giving you a little extra time to let it all
sink in. This was the song that really got my attention on the album
playthrough. As soon as the intro hit, I was trying to guess the
drumbeat while I tapped my toes and nodded away; once the rest of the
band join in, you have the song's greatest bonus – more song.
Kalifornia
rounds the album off the way it came in. Quicker paced, a bit heavier
again, and really getting to make use of Kieran's gritty vocals. The
song is nicely mixed and perform, and if the audio is anything to go
by, the group enjoyed playing the song from start to end.
On the whole, the
EP is an easy success – if not one of the best I've heard to begin.
The tracks are consistantly well played, with great use of varying
their styles. Allan's bass work is beautifully rhythmic and on time,
well versed, well rehearsed and audioably enjoyed. Johnny's guitar
work sits so nicely over it and helps make a bridge between guitar,
bass and drums as the three come together in near perfect unison. The
group effort is damn near unmatched, if it weren't for the high
standard, high quality sound that eminate from the speakers. Kieran's
vocals are well used and called on for all the right moments in order
to make something that's just a little bit more special. Of course,
Mark's drumming can't be ignored as he rips into a mix of headbanging
fills and body moving beats. If the EP is anything to go by, their
live work will consist of them dominating the stage. Former
guitarist, Euan, sat in nicely with his own style of playing guitar,
harmonising neatly to co-exist and fill the sound for each track I
blared from the computer.
Rating: ★ ★ ★
★ ☆ 4/5
While the EP is an
amazing piece of work by Gambit, the lost star comes in that there's
still room for improvement. There was a few timing misteps, though
this could be more to do with editing than performance. All in all a
top quality, enjoyable listen, and hopefully a sign of things to
come.
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