GUN: "Break The Silence

Rating: RRR
Label: Ear Music 2012
Review by Alan Holloway

Let’s be honest, Gun have never really had an easy time of it. Their debut album “Taking On The World” was a good attempt at a kind of stadium rock thing, but never quite gave them the success they craved. If you Google the band it’s likely that the phrase “Best know for their cover of Cameo’s Word Up” will crop up quite a bit, and to many that’s all they are. Their main problem has been the stop/start nature of the band, and after a brief and almost exciting stint with Toby Jepson at the helm, they’re back again, taking on the world all over again.

Although there’s been more than a few faces splattered against the revolving door of Gun, brothers Jools and Dante Gizzi remain, although Dante has ditched the bass to concentrate on being the new full time lead vocalist, a job he’s well practised at from his other band El Presidente, so it’s not like he just decikded to give it a bash here. Jools still holds down the guitar section as admirably as ever, although to be honest I was surprised that this album even sounded like Gun after so much drama and scene shifting.

Well, it certainly does sound like Gun, and fortunately it’s the good shit that was evident in the “Popkiller” EP, as in lively, bouncy tunes that coast on the back of strong guitar riffs. They fit in very well with the likes of Ash or The Manic Street Preachers, with strong pop based anthems like “Caught In The Middle” mixing with atmospheric tunes such as “How Many Roads”, which manages to be very Manic-y without copying. Nice trick if you can do it. Dante Gizzi has a pretty decent voice that suit’s the Gun style, with the ability to go a bit Axl Rose if he really has to.

In conclusion, this is a surprisingly solid album, with no real weak tracks and a nice, smooth production throughout. It will certainly stir some fond memories in existing fans, and hopefully create some new ones. Whilst it’s hard to get too excited, I can see this album hanging about for some time as a good one to play when I just want to kick back and listen to some good, uncomplicated upbeat pop rock.
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