Gravel – “I Never Asked”
Gravel usually plays shows that I don’t go to. Only reason being, they don’t play punk shows that often. Which is a shame, for me, because the one time I did see them I was very impressed.
They’re an all-girl, feminist band so I can understand them not wanting to hop on some all-boy metal/hardcore show where the testosterone is flying but the brain cells, not so much. But they would fit nicely, I believe, in a punk bill as they are a riot grrl influenced band- and a very, good one at that. And the style of music they play is the one that I feel is the most synonymous with punk.
And it just makes me wish that a band like this, that a band as good as this, would fit more easily into our scene.
But the fury and passion and incisive social commentary, reminiscent of riot grrl(or punk) is in full force here. And as I’ve mentioned before, though it’s certainly right to promote women playing music, they also usually turn out some of the best, most powerful, raw, potent music around.
Like this right here:
“Chrissy Cried Wolf” starts with- “Well, what goes up must come down/ When will I feel safe and sound?/ Suppose I found solid ground?/ Maybe one day I’ll come around.” Words about dissolution, confusion and vulnerability in a cruel, unfair world and later, words about being false to oneslf. “Sometimes I feel that I could die and everything would be just fine/ No time for long goodbyes/ Life leaves me sick and unsatisfied.” But the music and vocals are as tough and hard as the world is depicts. “Hide and seek/ Can’t find me/ Hide and seek/ Beauty queen.” The vocals accelerate like an uncontrollable merry-go-round with the music whirling by at the same pace. This is truly great tune, the kind that makes my arm hairs stand on end and that makes me want to stay alive.
“To What Do I Owe” has a more garage-y, echo-y feel in the verse until it explodes into a hyper-energetic chorus with the guitar frantically flailing off the edge of the groove of the album and the axis of the world. “To what do I owe?/ This awkward silence/ Your passive violence/ You going off again?” This song is a rollicking, roller coaster, rockin’ gem of clarity and venom. “This small endeavor/ Your feeling clever/ Your tall arrogance/ The only thing you know is ambivalence/ Where do you get your views?/ Come on, dude, get a clue.” But you don’t have to be too smart or aware to hear what a terrific song this is.
“SLEEP ISN’T CONSENT” starts out with some roaring, huge guitar chords all to reflect the anger and horror of “friend rape”- “What are you doing? How dare you offend. Aren’t you supposed to be my friend?” And being raped in your sleep, “Being unconscious means I said NO.” This song is all about society’s double standards, blaming the victim and women’s right to control their body- but musically, there are no contradictions or questions, that this is one walloping, dark, poignant tune. “But it’s not just me, it happens all the time. And often dismissed as not a real crime. They are told to look at me like I’m an object, not a living, breathing person to respect. There’s no excuse; there’s no escape. I’m not mistaken, it’s just fucking rape. So just quit this excuse game. It’s our sick culture that is to blame.”
“Straight To Hell” begins with the rhythm section bashing out in a burst of energy with grunge-y guitars running beside it. “You’ve got to learn to love yourself/ You’ve got to learn to love life/ If not you’ll send yourself to hell/ I’ll see you there in no time.” Good advice and this song is a perfect mix of riot grrl, garage and punk. “You just used up my time…I’m just using these lines to get it off my mind…you’re not what I want, you’re not what I need…forget about me.” Sounds like someone telling someone to get a life as long as it’s not in mine. But inside this song is pure heaven.
Gravel is another great band that I, recently realized is from Salem.
DestrOi, D-Sagawa and Mongorellis all from Salem, all just had albums in my Top 15 of 2016. And another Salem band, Gas Station Girls, happens to be my favorite band now.
And this is one of my first music reviews of 2017, so for me to claim that at the end of the year I expect this to be in my top picks would seem implausible- would be me going out on a limb.
But this release is a big improvement (tons better) than their previous one (though that was great, too.) This album is so honest and so raw and true and energetic that it exceeds in intensity what a lot of hardcore/metal bands take a swipe at and miss, they don’t match what this album produces by a mile.
Though I can’t say for certainty how this will rank at the end of the year, I can say for certain that this is some pretty, great stuff. Great lyrics, great music and to me, though they or you may say, they’re not punk, to me they are what punk music is all about.
Just hoist me up into this tree now, will ya?
(Slimedog)
