The Village Gorilla Head thread (was: Just got Tommy's solo record!)

[fixintodie]

Good price. But once again, I don't have a credit card. 

[jarmo]

My man Jarmo,
they already have it in - at ?17.99. I was just wondering if it's worth it. Generally I don't pay more than ?12.99 for a CD.

Yeah, but you said it was an import. Sanctuary releases albums over in the UK as well so importing from USA seems stupid.

It's even out in Sweden so why not the UK?

Ask them again. 

Did you look at the link? It says most major stores have Sanctuary's albums and that you can tell your local store to order the album using the catalogue number.



/jarmo

[fixintodie]

Then that might be my bad - I wasn't sure it was on general release in the UK, so I assumed it would be an import. It seems that the money grabbing bastards are just charging ?17.99 for the European release! 

[NickNasty]

Got this album on Tuesday. Simply Incredible.
Time for the Nick Nasty Review Scale (1-5) N's: 1 N= Shit, 5  N's= Excellent:

Cover/Album Art: 3 N's--- Nothing spectacular, photos are pretty cool, and the liner notes are amusing, especially the artist credits.

Songs:4.5 N's out of 5 ( Lyrics 4, Music 3.5)---

 Not being a big Punk fan, I was a tad worried going into this album that I would get  primarily punk heavy-short songs. I was dead wrong. This album runs the gamut from soul searching, mellow ballads ('Without a View', 'Light of Day') to ironic punkish offerings ('Something's Wrong') to hardcore rockers ('Motivation'). Tommy, as indicated by several interviews, has several musical influences that all show here. The music could easily be heard on any modern rock radio station, but luckily, since it was independently financed, was far more genuine and powerful than anything heard on there. Thank you, General Stinson, for keeping my hope in renewed rock alive. 

Overall Rating: 4.5 N's

[younggunner]

I have been listening to the album for a few days now...heres my review

The album is fantastic. Like NickNasty I was expecting a punk type record. This record has a little bit of everything. Every single song is excellent. I really suggest you check out the album. Its got soul, punk and rock. Fortus' playing on Motivation and the other 2 songs are excellent.

The lyrics and overall vibe of the album is great as well. Without a View{U2 vibe) and Motivation could be hit single on any rock station. Great songs.

Go get the album. Its worth it....

[kujo722]

Well I've been listening to it for two days now and I'm really impressed with it. I have gone back and gotten any Replacement CD's I could find since Tommy joined GnR and I love them, so I was expecting/ hoping for something along those lines.

As already mentioned there is a wide variety of styles here that all blend very well. All the songs are solid yet you wont be hearing them on the radio in this crap heavy image over substance times.

My favorite song is the closer "Someday". I love when a c.d. ends on a high note and this one is a great closer, made me want to listen to the whole thing again and hold off playing the new Pearl Jam cd. Overall a damn good c.d. Is it going to change your life? No, but it just might restore your faith in the ability to still find some good Rock n Roll being made.

[MrProxy]

damn its a realy great album!

 

[jarmo]

randomville.com review




/jarmo

[NickNasty]

I agree with the Randomville review's point that Stinson has a Dylan-esque quality to his voice, particularly on tracks like 'Light of Day' and 'Hey You.' Again, this album shows Tommy as more than an incredible bassist or back-up vocalist, which GNR and Mats fans already knew he was, but as a complete performer with alot of musical sensibility.

[madagas]

This is a REALLY good album. I am more than impressed. Out of all the releases by Gnr members, ex members, etc etc, this album and Izzy's first Ju Ju Hounds album are clearly the cream of the crop.....including *gasp* Contraband! Good lyrics, catchy songs, and an eclectic mix of styles. Fortus plays some incredible cello and guitar...Dizzy's keys on the title track are very cool as well. Axl has a shit load of talent, let's hope he uses it.

[holidayidol]

You've got Paul Westerberg of course, who was a bandmate with Tommy....and Tommy is close friends and collaborates with Jesse Malin....who is close friend and collaborator with Ryan Adams. And all 4 are very close in style/genre with their solo records. I like all four very much.

(But I didn't mention that Ryan Adams and Paul Westerberg hate each others guts  ).

[holidayidol]

Out of all the releases by Gnr members, ex members, etc etc, this album and Izzy's first Ju Ju Hounds album are clearly the cream of the crop...

Ahhaha, I told someone this on Thursday.

[RichardNixon]

I got this album for ten bucks at Newberry Comics. While I don't like it as much as The Replacements, it's still a cool album. Stinson is a very good songwriter. Maybe Tommy Stinson is the new Izzy Stradlin of GN'R, in terms of being a great songwriter...which is something GNR lost after Izzy left the group.

[NickNasty]

The question as to how much inout Stinson has/had in terms of adding to new GNR material remains to be seen, Mr. Nixon, but we can only hope he was able to put in his two cents here and there .

[GypsySoul]

Source:? New York Post (newspaper), Sunday, August 1, 2004
This week's CDs
By Dan Aquilante

TOMMY STINSON
"Village Gorilla Head"
* * * (Three out of Four Stars Rating)
Sanctuary Records[/b]
 

WITH one of the finest pedigrees in rock music, former Replacements bassist Tommy Stinson delivers a record you have to work at to appreciate. The rewards are there, even though on first listen it may seem scattered.

After a few spins, it becomes easy to connect the dots between these stylistically varied tunes. This disc really illustrates Stinson's musical vocabulary.

Pay attention to the lyrics, and you'll be impressed by how perceptive they are; the melodies are equally memorable. Listen for the catchy pop of "Hey You" and the jangly rock of "Something's Wrong."

[younggunner]

I cant stop listening to this album!

Are the Replacement albums similar to this album?

[Pandora]

Pretty good album    Overall, I think Tommy fares better on stripped accoustic songs.
My favourites right now  are : "Without a view", "Motivation" and "Light of day".

I find this line in the liner notes hilarious :
"If I have a large check waiting for me or I won some sweepstakes, you can contact my manager xxx xxx " and then he goes on to give the contact details of his manager 

[Eva GnRAxlRosette]

got it at best buy on tuesday...

really luvin' the album

Tommy is a great songwriter

I too really like 'Without a View', 'Light of Day'...
Love 'It's OK"....? I can picture a video for this one?
Couldn't Wait....? ? Bite Your Tongue?

Just a great, great album!

  Tommy?
Congratulations Tommy!

[madagas]

http://www.rollingstone.com/news/story?id=6391242&pageid=rs.Home&pageregion=single1
Good review in Rolling Stone!

[K-Rock]

Not so good review from Barnes & Noble:

While the following suggestion certainly sounds far more ominous than intended, one gets the feeling that hanging out with Axl Rose has started to rub off on Tommy Stinson. The former Replacements bassist has been a member of the Chinese Democracy-era edition of Guns N' Roses for a few years at this writing, and just as Rose seems oddly intent upon beating all the rock & roll fun out of his brave new version of G n' R, Stinson's first proper solo album, Village Gorilla Head, is significantly short on the rave-up excitement and loopy enthusiasm of his earlier sets with Bash & Pop and Perfect. Which isn't to say that Stinson has completely lost his sense of humor or his inclinations toward straight-ahead rock & roll -- just check out the Stones-style raunch of "Motivation" and "Something's Wrong," the ace Ronnie Lane lift of "Hey You," and the onslaught of attitudinal snot of "Bite Your Tongue" and you'll get some much needed reassurance about the state of Stinson's abilities. But the electro-processed spookiness of "Without a View" and the title track suggest he's been listening to trip hop without really figuring how to do it himself, "Couldn't Wait" is blunt hard rock lacking in both hooks and swing, and most of the cuts on this album lack a much-needed ?lan -- the songs are solid, the playing is great, but there's a certain sweat-inducing passion that's in unfortunately short supply. There's just enough good stuff on Village Gorilla Head to remind listeners of the scruffy kid with the flawless rock instincts they knew as Tommy Stinson, but at the same time there's a bunch of stuff suggesting that maturity and a more serious outlook are taking a toll upon him. Here's some advice: less Guns N' Roses, more Minus 5 in your musical diet, Tommy. Mark Deming

http://music.barnesandnoble.com/search/product.asp?userid=ye7CSXn9kc&ean=60768469228

Hit the link and you can sample 30 seconds of each song.? I'm not too sold on it myself.....a little too Dylanesque for my taste.? Seems like this is a record that would take me about 5-10 listens to appreciate.? I'll probably buy it like I did a bunch of Bucket's cds.....which I've grown tiresome of.