Album Review by Adam Foster
You sort of expect Norwegian rock to be a little dated: and Gazpacho do not disappoint.
The odd thing about listening to GET IT WHILE IT’S COLD is how much it reminds you of so many other things, and yet how much it is its own beast. The overlong and “conceptual” nature of many of the songs is mid 70’s prog rock – specifically Gabriel-led Genesis, complete with heavenly choirs and meaningless lyrics (“Paint this symbol on the door of your house / Bathed in their eyes I saw them grow.”)
Yet in terms of instrumentation and melody, they owe more to British synth bands of the 80’s. The opening of SUN GOD, for instance, nods to BEING BOILED by Ware-era Human League, while BRAVO has a hint of Ultravox. Yet the band that most springs to mind is Japan: at its best, vocalist Jan H ‘O’s singing is distinctly reminiscent of David Sylvian’s epic voice; at its worst, he sounds like Tony Hadley from Spandau in his whispery moments.
Much of the album is likeable and inventive. The best tracks are the two openers – SEA OF TRANQUILLITY and NEMO, both of which bowl along nicely and develop great shape. But the quality, or the surprise, soon wears thin. SUN GOD and BRAVO kill the album. And the lyrics of the latter may yet prove significant:
“Grand performance, open night, unbelievable.
Curtains rise, sold out crowd, inconceivable.”
Ultimately, Gazpacho’s effort is more of an overcooked minestrone: too many ingredients, and not enough subtlety.
