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Gazpacho - Gazpacho Demo

Artist:	Gazpacho
Title:	Gazpacho Demo
Label:	self produced
Length(s):	21 minutes
Year(s) of release:	2002
Month of review:	[08/2002]

Line up

Jan H. "O" - vocals
Jon A. Vilbo - guitars
Thomas Andersen - keyboards
Roy Funner - bass

Tracks

1)	Sea Of Tranquility	5.14
2)	Ghost	5.24
3)	Nemo	3.54
4)	Bravo	6.40 MP3 or RealAudio

Summary

This foursome were making waves, so one reason to find out more about them. They were kind enough to send me a four song demo, a seven track EP is now out through their own website, containing also some of the tracks listed here.

The music

Sea Of Tranquility is like the other songs on this EP a soft pop song. Now this might reason for some of you to get the hell out of here, but wait...there is more. Notwithstanding the fact that the band is not that old, they write terrific, melancholic songs reminding me of bands like the Associates (listen to their Breakfast if you can), David Sylvian (but a bit more ehm ordinary) and latter day Marillion during their sadder moments. Most striking about the music of Gazpacho are the vocals and vocal melodies of Jan H. "O", whose soothing, melancholic voice dominates all tracks. This also holds for the bouncy Ghost, which is built on a very memorable dancing piano run.

Nemo is more up-beat and off-beat as well. The first part has off-beat drums, slightly jazzy in feel, and shows a closeness to the Brave side Marillion. The song rocks a bit more in the chorus, with rather distinctive phrasings and guitar and organ setting in. The end of this track is VERY Hogarth, also in the vcoals

By far the most succesful song on the album Bravo, with its Talk Talk like opening, the distinctive bridge and the fantastic, moving chorus. Also a bit of flute on this one and a subtly dancing piano.

Conclusion

I was quite impressed with this poppy EP. Good songs, good atmosphere, magnificient melodies all in the line of later Talk Talk and Marillion's Brave, to name a few reference points. The production could be a bit more decisive (go for the energetic part energetically), but this is only a demo and with the songmanship and the vocalist, this band can really go places.