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gemmaray psychogeology
Artist: Gemma Ray
Title: Psychogeology
Genre: Rock
Release Date: 15th February 2019
Label: Bronzerat Records


Album Review

Berlin based British singer GEMMA RAY has released her latest album ‘Psychogeology’ in February 2019. Never tiring of touring and releasing new music, she chose to release very personal songs on this album, showing the influences of a decade of touring, collaborating and travelling. Ray is showing her life experience and links it to experiences in nature.

‘Blossom Crawls’ is a good opener, but the story behind it (a panic attack in a taxi) does not become audible, while excellent guitarwork does. ‘Death Tapes’ meanwhile offers panicked vocals, even if they remain in the background while an enormous baseline might become an unpleasant experience for your woofer. ‘It’s Only Loneliness’ is a strong atmospheric song but the jazzy elements somehow don’t fit into this album so far and the electric piano used to create this, dominates the guitars too much.

‘In Colour’ is a song Ray has written for her dying grandmother and it’s one of the most peaceful songs I heard so far, it mirrors the grief you feel if a beloved person passes. The vocals towards of the end of the song, supported by a fantastic keyboard line and guitars that remain in the background, show a strong will to move on. ‘Dreaming is Easy’ is a song I would not have put on the album. The rhythm is waltz-like, the vocals are inconsistent and sound like during a rehearsal session and the psychedelic parts in the end made me uncomfortable and press forward.

If you listen to ‘Psychogeology’ and follow the lyrics, you will get some hints about the writers intentions behind the album. The vocals are supported by electric pianos and some flute lines were added to give the song a bit more lightness. ‘Flood Plains’ is a masterpiece of a perfect arrangement of a guitar and flutes absolutely reminiscent of what we know as “Spaghetti Western”. The choir swirls around the leading vocals and supports the atmosphere of the song in a fantastic way. ‘Roll On River’ does, what the title indicates, it rolls along The last song of the album ‘Summer Comes’ is a slow song that might let you drift off to sleep because of the soothing melody performed in an impressive and very refined voice.

All in all, it’s an album worth listening to. Rays highly refined voice and excellent guitarwork are a pleasure listening to, but some of the arrangements don’t fit in and the psychedelic touches might not be everybody’s cup of tea.


Tracklist

01. Blossom Crawls
02. Death Tapes
03. It’s Only Loneliness
04. In Colour
05. Dreaming Is Easy
06. Psychogeology
07. Flood Plains
08. Land of Make Believe
09. Roll On River
10. Summer Comes


Website

https://gemmaray.tv/


Cover Picture

gemmaray psychogeology


Rating

Music: 6
Sound: 6.5
Total: 6.3 / 10




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