Gyroscope - BreedObsession

Thu 20th Mar, 2008 in Music Reviews

If you’ve never heard of the band Gyroscope before, then get ready. Daniel Sanders (vocals/guitar), Zoran Trivic (guitar/piano), Brad Campbell (bass) and Rob Nassif (drums) are about to hit the big time with their newest release Breed Obsession.

This third album from the Perth based quartet follows on from their 2005 sophomore release Are You Involved, which was recorded in LA by producer/mixer Mark Trombino (The Living End, Blink 182 & Jimmy Eat World). While this album perfectly showcased the tight knit and energetic nature of the band, Zoran has recently admitted that Mark’s production was “very clinical, in that they recorded with the drums first, then we come to lay down guitar tracks for the drums, [with] the vocals sort of put on at the end”.

This inflexible method may explain why Gyroscope parted ways with Mark and decided to record the initial Breed Obsession tracks at the RnR studio in South Australia. When they sent this demo material to producer Dave Eringa (Manic Street Preachers), they received the thumbs up to record the remaining tracks at the Elevator studio in Liverpool.

The free-form environment and recording process allowed each of the band members to jam in their own circle of power and feed off each other’s rock vibes. This style lends the album an infectious enthusiasm and energy that captures the feeling of a live Gyroscope set. Dave summarises the new record as, “A really eclectic record with heavier than Foo Fighters riffing at one end to beautiful Beatles [like] acoustic songs at the other -taking in a Pink Floyd homage along the way. I think this record really rocks!”

After hearing some of the new material at a recent gig I can also attest that it will seamlessly blend into future set lists. The heavy-hitting Snakeskin, 1981 and Weapon, Enemy, Friend are instant rock classics, while the diverse sounds of Her Design and Polyphones & Multidors add further strength to Gyroscope’s already impressive repertoire.

Snakeskin: What a great start to the album. It probably needs little introduction, as it’s received plenty of radio play after its release back in November 2007. Since then it’s picked up a number of accolades including being voted to the # 16 spot on Triple J Hottest 100 and being the # 1 most requested song on Triple J’s Super request and JTV programs. Recently it also won two WAMI awards, including most popular single and most popular music video, which was recorded in a crop circle in Wiltshire, South London (the same field featured on the front of the Led Zeppelin Remasters album).

This heavily layered song begins with a simple piano piece from Zoran and some soft vocals from Daniel. The subtle drumming then bridges into the epic chorus, that’s belted out with typical Gyroscope passion. This fantastic track contains the band’s signature sounds that fans have come to love: including breakdowns, catchy guitar hooks and a screaming chorus. The heavily layered sounds and production quality also manage to showcase their progression and what to expect on the rest of the album.

All In On One: The resonating off key guitar chords and angst filled lyrics provide a darker tone than some of Gyro’s previous work, but still manage to provide a catchy melody. When the chorus comes around, you’ll probably be singing along with the lines, “Hey, hey I admit I messed you up, I truly thought you would learn by now!” With a running time of three minutes and more hey and woe shouts than a horse rider (26 to be exact), this song will undoubtedly be a popular choice to play live.

These Days: A simply classic guitar riff from Zoran starts things off while a ticking drumbeat supplements Daniel’s “un, deux, trois” count in. Memorable guitar chords and tight drumming perfectly complement what will surely become another Gyroscope classic. The sing along chorus, “I’ll figured out your name come morning, but your scent is something I should know”, has been stuck in my head for days.

Australia: This is essentially a romantic ballad about home, which was obviously written while on tour overseas. The subtle drumbeats and acoustic guitar supplement Daniel’s vocals and the string work (violin & cello), gives this song some extra depth. I wouldn’t be surprised to hear it plenty more times before next Australia Day. While the passive beat and absence of a catchy chorus do slightly interrupt the album’s momentum, this song shows that Gyroscope are equally capable of creating softer numbers as well as the harder hitting ones.

O.K: A creepy bassline starts with the words, “You know that window in your basement; I used to sleep outside it. Now I’m inside hiding from you”. The reverberating vocals and thudding guitar chords work well at conveying the stalker motif but also hold it back from reaching its full potential. An accelerated rhythm or some signature Gyro screaming would have really made this track something special, but in the end the title of the song sums it up best, just O.K.

Weapon. Enemy. Friend: A killer bass chord kicks things off before the drums throw you into the gritty beat. This is the most straight-up rock track on the album with powerful lyrics “I shot the shit, I fucked the fake” and plenty of thrash heavy guitar chords. Just like O.K, there are plenty of creepy vocals, but this time they take a back seat and let the instruments do the talking. When I first heard this at their last gig, the distinct jam session at the end of the song really stood out and had the whole band feeding off each other. Now that I’m more familiar with this fantastic number I can’t wait to hear it again live.

Polyphones & Multidors: This one just oozes atmosphere and has a real unique style, unlike anything this band have tried before. The slight jazz tone and relaxed structure gives this track a laid-back breezy quality. As usual, Daniel’s fantastic singing melds perfectly into the guitars, which provide an interesting droning accompaniment. This highly atmospheric song will undoubtedly become one of my favorites.

The River Between: The subdued tempo and lack of a memorable guitar tune make this song initially difficult to absorb. It seems to be missing the spark of previous tracks and only grabs your attention in the final minute when the pace picks up and some yodeling-like vocals appear.

Her Design: Another enjoyable acoustic track that starts off with some tambourine. While the chorus is rather repetitive, it’s to Daniel’s credit that he can pull off lines like, “Girl you look so good in the evening light, when the moon is right and the stars are bright”, without sounding sappy or clichéd. At its roots it’s obviously a love song, but the country like melody and background siren sound gives this one a slightly hypnotic ambience.

1981: Their second single starts with an electronic drum beat that quickly shifts into gear with some crashing symbols and tight guitar riffs. Rob’s industrious drumming is the real highlight of this track, and helps complement the catchy-as-hell hooks and the chorus, “Pain won’t go away, even when the drugs say, I won’t forget”. It took me a while to get my head around the synthesiser-style beat, but this song has now become my favorite from the album.

Silver Heart: A moody track with twanging guitar and thudding drums that picks up some speed and screaming vocals along the way. Brad gets a chance to show off his excellent bass skills, while the collective shout of “Roof top, shout it out” gives everyone’s vocals a good workout.

Time: This multi-layered finale is a fitting end to the album and demonstrates that Gyroscope has truly evolved into a dynamic and mature quartet. The masterful piano work and ambient sound effects evoke an ethereal Pink Floyd feel and Daniel’s singing reaches new heights. Every time I hear the lyrics, “Like a candle in the window”, I’m reminded of the Elton John song. I can already imagine the fans swaying with their lighters out at the next concert.

After giving Breed Obsession a number of solid listens I can undoubtedly say that Gyroscope has smashed the high expectations set with previous records. They’ve delivered a memorable and diverse rock album, with a perfect mixture of light and heavy tracks that should appeal to a broad demographic of listeners. The high production values also push the band into some new and interesting areas, while still delivering the distinct Gyro sounds that fans have come to love.

At the time of writing this review, Breed Obsession has lived up to its name and has hit the #1 spot in the ARIA charts after its first week of release. Well done guys.