Thursday, October 30, 2008


Anthony Gomes – Music Is The Medicine (Ruf).

Young American guitar slinger Anthony Gomes serves up a dozen self-penned songs on an album co-produced by the legendary Jim Gaines. The eponymous title track is a funky opener with strong guitar. Gomes’ gruff voice is complimented by the female backing and it’s got it all – it’s the cure! Bluebird is a very strong song and Gomes shows that he is an all rounder on this soft rock offering. Now She’s Gone is more of the funk with vocal and over laden heavy guitar to the fore. War On War continues with heavy, searing guitars and I can tell you one thing – Gomes is certainly not quiet! The obligatory ballad arrives in the shape of Love Is The Answer and it is better than the average fare served up on the normal rock album. Gomes slashes his guitar through the middle.

The classy Everyday Superstar is another funk fest with the keyboards the funkiest. Testify is blues influenced and has a heavy rock feel that is blended with gospel – good Southern rock. This is a stormer as Gomes unleashes a flurry of notes. He takes a breather on Waiting For A Sign, an Elton John style ballad. However, this gives him the chance to show that he is as strong a singer as he is a guitarist. His songwriting skills are not too shabby either as his songs have a way of endearing themselves to you. There is a clever thought behind the lyrics of the blues based What If? whereas Run is a straightforward, heavy rock based grinder. When The Right Woman Does You Wrong is a blues title for sure and a blues is what you get. It is slow and moody and Gomes lifts you up and drops you like a stone in what is an excellent finish to a strong album.

http://www.anthonygomes.com/
http://www.rufrecords.de/

David Blue.

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