Wesley Gonzalez — Appalling Human(June 12, 2020)♦ℜ♥ Veselý Londoner hovoří o novém albu „Appalling Human“, směje se tváří v zoufalství a odpovídá na otázky, proč je někdy dobré být trochu podsvětí (tedy alespoň na pódiu). Výstřední indie~popový singer~songwriter a bývalý leader Let’s Wrestle. Trochu mi připomíná tvorbu Be Bop Deluxe, zejména z alba Sunburst Finis, resp. Bill Nelsona, ovšem tomu bude letos už 72. Na svém prvním tripu Gonzalez více~méně opustil kytaru, která byla jeho primárním nástrojem od začátku éry Let’s Wrestle od věku 15~ti let. Místo toho, aby psal pro klavír, jeho přístup se posunul zřetelněji směrem k mixu zpěváka inspirovaného 70. léty / skladatele popu a skvělé směsice new wave a power popu se syntetizátory a saxofony zdobícími celkové aranžmá. Na Appalling Human posouvá svou posedlost klávesy o krok dále, rozsvítí 12 skladeb a zahalí palbou zářivých syntezátorů a bicích mašinek, které se někdy třpytí v jejich syčivém pohledu. Nakonec to zní jako recept na nějakou kulinářskou pochoutku: „nakrájejí rajčata, lilky a vloží je do prskajícího oleje.“
Sám říká: „Když promluvím s lidmi po představení, řeknou „‘Oh, on je vlastně ... docela milý? Není to hrozný bastard?““ ... „Je to vždy fantazie, předvádění a předstírání, že jste člověk, který nemá nejistoty.“ ♦ℜ♥ Je ještě něco, co chcete dodat? „Myslím, že je to jen na lidech, aby se napravili. Někteří lidé si to poslechnou a myslí si, že jsem wanker, ať už řeknu cokoli. Pravděpodobně se musím zlepšit v propagaci sebe sama a říci: „To je důvod, proč jsem dobrý“, ale chci jen, aby to lidé slyšeli, a pokud mě potom nenávidí, bude mi to jedno.“ ♦ℜ♥ Wesley Gonzalez is an excellent musician so he’s calling his debut album ‘Excellent Musician’. Excellent. Location: London, England Styles: Indie Pop, Alternative/Indie Rock Album release: June 12, 2020 Record Label: Moshi Moshi Duration: 45:13 Tracks: 01. Tried To Tell Me Something 4:16 02. Wind Your Neck In 3:37 03. Friend At First 3:08 04. A Fault In Your Design 3:41 05. Change 4:32 06. Come Through and See Me 3:39 07. Girl, You’re My Family Now 4:04 08. Used To Love You 3:06 09. Fault of the Family 3:36 10. The Mice 2:54 11. If I’m Sad 3:36 12. Did You Get What You Paid For? 5:04 AllMusic Review by Timothy Monger⌊ JUNE 12 2020 ⌋ Score: ★★★½ ♦ℜ♥ Having made the leap to solo work with 2017’s delightfully eclectic Excellent Musician, former Let’s Wrestle frontman Wesley Gonzalez works himself into a smart~pop frenzy on his synth~heavy follow~up, Appalling Human. That the Londoner’s first two albums are titled Excellent Musician and Appalling Human should say something about his sense of humor, but his intelligence and emotive range extend well beyond mere irony. ♦ℜ♥ On his first outing, Gonzalez more or less abandoned the guitar, which had been his primary tool since starting Let’s Wrestle at the age of 15. Writing instead for the piano, his approach shifted more distinctly toward a mix of ’70s~inspired singer/songwriter pop and a nimble mixture of new wave and power pop with synths and saxophones decorating the arrangements. On Appalling Human, he takes his keyboard obsession a step further, lighting up the 12 tracks with a barrage of glimmering synths and drum machines that are sometimes jarring in their sizzling glare. ♦ℜ♥ Armed with a band that includes indie pop songstress Rose Elinor Dougall on backing vocals, Joe Chilton on bass, Callum Duffy on keyboards, and Bobby Voltaire on drums, Gonzalez weaves his snaky melodies around glitzy dancefloor bangers like “Tried to Tell Me Something” and “If I’m Sad,” evoking the early~’80s synth pop heyday but sounding like a melodic descendant of Andy Partridge. Further echoes of XTC’s influence come out on cuts like “Girl, You’re My Family Now” and “Used to Love You,” and his bold vocal delivery is vaguely reminiscent of Partridge’s. The LP’s tone feels deliberately grandiose and it doesn’t always land, but there are plenty of highlights to be found like the excellent “Change” and “Friend at First,” which reveal what a sharp songwriter Gonzalez is. ♦ℜ♥ https://www.allmusic.com/ Interview/Lisa Wright: https://diymag.com/2020/06/11/wesley-gonzalez-june-2020-appalling-human-interview FB: https://www.facebook.com/wesleygonzalezmusic/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/wpgonzalez
Sám říká: „Když promluvím s lidmi po představení, řeknou „‘Oh, on je vlastně ... docela milý? Není to hrozný bastard?““ ... „Je to vždy fantazie, předvádění a předstírání, že jste člověk, který nemá nejistoty.“
♦ℜ♥ Je ještě něco, co chcete dodat? „Myslím, že je to jen na lidech, aby se napravili. Někteří lidé si to poslechnou a myslí si, že jsem wanker, ať už řeknu cokoli. Pravděpodobně se musím zlepšit v propagaci sebe sama a říci: „To je důvod, proč jsem dobrý“, ale chci jen, aby to lidé slyšeli, a pokud mě potom nenávidí, bude mi to jedno.“
♦ℜ♥ Wesley Gonzalez is an excellent musician so he’s calling his debut album ‘Excellent Musician’. Excellent.
Location: London, England
Styles: Indie Pop, Alternative/Indie Rock
Album release: June 12, 2020
Record Label: Moshi Moshi
Duration: 45:13
Tracks:
01. Tried To Tell Me Something 4:16
02. Wind Your Neck In 3:37
03. Friend At First 3:08
04. A Fault In Your Design 3:41
05. Change 4:32
06. Come Through and See Me 3:39
07. Girl, You’re My Family Now 4:04
08. Used To Love You 3:06
09. Fault of the Family 3:36
10. The Mice 2:54
11. If I’m Sad 3:36
12. Did You Get What You Paid For? 5:04
AllMusic Review by Timothy Monger ⌊ JUNE 12 2020 ⌋ Score: ★★★½
♦ℜ♥ Having made the leap to solo work with 2017’s delightfully eclectic Excellent Musician, former Let’s Wrestle frontman Wesley Gonzalez works himself into a smart~pop frenzy on his synth~heavy follow~up, Appalling Human. That the Londoner’s first two albums are titled Excellent Musician and Appalling Human should say something about his sense of humor, but his intelligence and emotive range extend well beyond mere irony.
♦ℜ♥ On his first outing, Gonzalez more or less abandoned the guitar, which had been his primary tool since starting Let’s Wrestle at the age of 15. Writing instead for the piano, his approach shifted more distinctly toward a mix of ’70s~inspired singer/songwriter pop and a nimble mixture of new wave and power pop with synths and saxophones decorating the arrangements. On Appalling Human, he takes his keyboard obsession a step further, lighting up the 12 tracks with a barrage of glimmering synths and drum machines that are sometimes jarring in their sizzling glare.
♦ℜ♥ Armed with a band that includes indie pop songstress Rose Elinor Dougall on backing vocals, Joe Chilton on bass, Callum Duffy on keyboards, and Bobby Voltaire on drums, Gonzalez weaves his snaky melodies around glitzy dancefloor bangers like “Tried to Tell Me Something” and “If I’m Sad,” evoking the early~’80s synth pop heyday but sounding like a melodic descendant of Andy Partridge. Further echoes of XTC’s influence come out on cuts like “Girl, You’re My Family Now” and “Used to Love You,” and his bold vocal delivery is vaguely reminiscent of Partridge’s. The LP’s tone feels deliberately grandiose and it doesn’t always land, but there are plenty of highlights to be found like the excellent “Change” and “Friend at First,” which reveal what a sharp songwriter Gonzalez is.
♦ℜ♥ https://www.allmusic.com/
Interview/Lisa Wright: https://diymag.com/2020/06/11/wesley-gonzalez-june-2020-appalling-human-interview
FB: https://www.facebook.com/wesleygonzalezmusic/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/wpgonzalez