Two Gallants

Two Gallants: The Bloom and the BlightThe Bloom and the Blight (2012)
ATO

Reviewer Rating: 2.5

User Rating:

Contributed by: JeloneJelone
(others by this writer | submit your own)
Published on December 7th 2012It's hard to get stoked on Two Gallants. They've got the fuzzy blues rock favored by the White Stripes and Black Lips, and they've even got the two-piece thing going on. Essentially, they're doing what other bands have done better, and even then, it's just a revival of music from decades gone by. .

It's hard to get stoked on Two Gallants. They've got the fuzzy blues rock favored by the White Stripes and Black Lips, and they've even got the two-piece thing going on. Essentially, they're doing what other bands have done better, and even then, it's just a revival of music from decades gone by.

And yet, The Bloom and the Blight almost makes for a compelling listen. Two Gallants are at their best when they're in full Led Zep mode, like "Halcyon Days" or "My Love Won't Wait." Big booming guitars 'n' drums ring out a la Portugal. The Man. These tunes are big lung-bursters with enough reverb to make you quake.

Unfortunately, Two Gallants want to be everything to everyone in the classic rock canon. That means that Bloom doesn't just settle for rocking bones. They gotta drop some ballads for the ladies, maybe throw in some ethereal stuff too. While tunes like "Broken Eyes" sound authentic (or at least as authentic as something ripping off Rod Stewart's Every Picture Tells a Story can be), they also don't really go anywhere or break out anything new. Sure, they provide breaks, thereby giving the rockin' bits more meaning, but overall, not all that important.

Bloom wants to be a classic rock throwback in as many ways as possible, which is something rock 'n' roll doesn't really need any more of. While Adam Stephens and Tyson Vogel are competent players, but they lack the rawness that made the White Stripes and the Hives so compelling. For a back-to-basics style, Bloom sure does seem overstuffed.

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Fine Print: The following comments are owned by whoever posted them. We are not respon sible for them in any way. Seriously.

Alien (December 16, 2012)

fuck you get stoked

nothingshy (December 13, 2012)

2GS:

1. What the Toll Tells
2. S/T
3. The Bloom & The Blight
4. The Throes
5. The Scenery of Farewell

this album is middle of the road, but everything they have released is amazing. my opinion. feel me on this?

SilentStorms (December 11, 2012)

Thanks for reviewing this, as I had no idea that they were still a band. I agree with most people here, this reviewer seems to be relatively unfamiliar with the band, but you can't know about everything.

Russe11 (December 8, 2012)

i'd hardly call what the black lips do "fuzzy blues rock."

orphanchoir (December 7, 2012)

Great record and intereting change of pace from a band with many solid releases. Not a great review.

bensomewhere (December 7, 2012)

I gave this a listen because I love the two piece set up, which is far from being overdone in my opinion, because half the time bass is unnecessary. This warrants a much better review, and it really doesn't seem the person reviewing this gave it nearly enough time. It's far better than the Kui Lui Beethoven crap, and how many stars did that get?

eran_zombis (December 7, 2012)

I prefer s/t and What the Toll Tells, but this band is always great.

jvoland (December 7, 2012)

It's not the record, it's the reviewer. Yet another review where it appears to have been written after one half-listen with the record on in the background while the reviewer pounds mcdonalds or plays donkey kong or something.

surfwax (December 7, 2012)

Great album. Clueless review.

Blackjaw_ (December 7, 2012)

You clearly are not familiar with this band's other albums.

...Not that they were very good. This one's their best.

But you need to give them more credit than you have.

hbwlons2 (December 7, 2012)

Yes, worth a listen.

hbwlons2 (December 7, 2012)

Awesome band and great live show.

thegreatestmanalive (December 7, 2012)

Pretty weak review. I mean criticizing a band for writing a couple of slower songs seems kinda bonkers to me. I was thinking that since they said it would be a bit heavier the album may recall stuff like the fast bits on 16th st dozen. What the Toll Tells was a pretty great album and didn't at all remind me of White Strips or The Hives, plus the drumming is outstanding. Disappointed to see the score but I feel like you didn't describe it's downfalls very well.

ozmanx (December 7, 2012)

I've never heard of them till FYF Fest. If this review is not recommending their new record them maybe I shouldn't bother. They didn't blow me away live but I did stay throughout their whole set so it was enjoyable.

The guy below says different, what say the rest of the org? New record worth a listen?

ledbetter (December 7, 2012)

I don't see the musical comparison between 2Gs and the Hives..as for with the White Stripes, besides both being a two piece I can't say they sound musically alike.

as for this release, It's not as good as their previous releases but still a very solid album...I think they strength of this band might be how insane of their live shows are. I would pay 20 bucks alone just to watch Tyson play the drums.