Trippin’ My Blues Off: Ron Gallo’s RG3 EP

I may be a bit late to the party on this one as the EP from Nashville transplant Ron Gallo was released 6 months ago, but I was feeling like I needed a pick me up and dug in hard this morning. This is the only way to truly dig into Gallo’s 3 song trip of garage punk, overdriven bluesy sound. There is heart here. As of matter of fact, I am pretty sure the singer-songwriter spilled the contents of his chest out onto the recording studio floor with this latest release.

The lead in track ‘Young Lady, You’re Scaring Me” has a killer riffing line and more energy than one could possibly comprehend. Gallo’s signature high growl is ever present throughout and it has leanings of his previous albums as a result, but there is more here. With inflections of punk, surf rock, garage band overdrive and a psychadelia that has been transisted through a beat up effects chain and poured out the other side with and infectious but gritty sonic vibe that forces itself right through you.

At times Ron screams out,  but the control he has over his voice somehow manages to make it entirely endearing and never abrasive. I’m just like “FUCK man…yes!” each and every time he launches off. Gallo has this sort of “fuck you” sentiment to his music. His cynicism and disdain for how society has become numb to actually living in some when. When he sings “Put the kids to bed / i need you to lie beside me / remind me that i’m dead” you can feel that he means it. That while it may sting to shout those words or to hear them, sometimes the truth needs to be said. And when its said over ripping guitars and amped up 3 part harmonies, well then, its all the more reason to listen.