Gerling - Get Activated

Wed 25th Feb, 2004 in Music Reviews

It seems to me, Gerling are beginning to lose that original and inventive sound they once managed to produce. Perhaps they need to learn that producing that same, once-inventive sound that made them big is what is now bringing them down. Maybe this lack of originality is the reason behind the old gimmick of the limited edition numbered single that this release is.

Get Activated is fun to listen to after only one or two spins, but any more than that and you can’t help but want to rip out Darren’s vocal cords and set them alight. He sounds somewhat like a dying cat wallowing in its own pain. Just like any typical Gerling song this is full of sirens and overly-used samples, but lacks the guitar sounds of some of their rockier releases.

The next song, Ahead, is a b-side that is actually really good and it is perplexing why this didn’t make the cut for the album. Whatever the reason, fans of their live show would love this song as it sounds quite raw, and features plenty of bass so make sure you have a nice set of subs to crank this little gem.

Onto the third and final track on the single, Turn Up The Heat features guest vocals from Samantha Eaton. More energetic and not as dull as the single, this song is still annoying and refrains from straying outside of the boundaries most of Gerling’s material has remained within for a while. Its saving grace would be the welcome change of vocals from Darren’s to Samantha’s, though the constant repetition of “get it on”, “phenomenon” and any other word or phrase ending in “on” does grind the nerves.

Don’t be fooled by the gimmick provided by the deceitfully cool limited edition number printed on the jacket. While the b-sides are much more listenable than the single, this disc is really only for the avid Gerling fan and completist.