Our second contestant:


GUTBUCKET - New York, USA



Saw these guys live for the first time in 2002 I think, it was in my hometown of Zagreb, Croatia. That was also the first time I ever heard of them.
Little did I know they will become one of my favorite bands ever...
13 years and 6 concerts later (5 in Zagreb and 1 in Ljubljana, Slovenia) they are still at the top of my list.

In their core I guess we could call them "a jazz band" but (free) jazz is only the beginning of things to come. Their music incorporates so many different styles it defies normal categorization. We could call it punk, klezmer, avantgarde, prog-rock, psychedelia, bossa nova, experimental, post-rock...call it what you will, quality is what counts!

First album "InsomniacsDream" is a somewhat tame beginning but still an optimistic announcement of interesting future:

They play without PA (one could say acoustically) but there is still enormous amount of noise comin' towards you. Their shows are energetic and spontaneous, especially when we talk about "frontman" sax player Ken Thomson. Oldest of the bunch is also the most active one on stage. Every member of Gutbucket could actually be considered a frontman since everybody plays as if their lives depend on it.

Members are aforementioned Ken Thomson - sax
Eric Rockwin (recently replaced by Pat Swoboda) on upright electric bass
Paul Chuffo (replaced by Adam Gold) - both great drummers
Ty Citerman - electric guitar and effects, with Ken shares most of writing duties

Furthermore, their level of technical skill and synchronicitiy is uncanny while they perform such complex pieces of music. My favorite things about their songs are when they enter polyrhythmia and usage of catchy themes no matter the style of the song:

Second album "Dry Humping..." has brought things on totally new level as in their case usually each next album did:

I hear a constant change as they strive to achieve something new and different:

Most recent album "Flock" has gone even more beserk and complex while we wait for new monster to be born...:)


One of their last shows in Zagreb, you can actually hear me requesting "Snarling Wrath of Angry Gods" from the audience:

Longer version - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ME7a9C2zNhM


As Ken Thomson once said: "Zagreb is probably the only place where people headbang to Gutbucket...".


http://gutweb.com/

Hello everybody, let me begin my little odyssey.

My intention is to write about what I find quality music and interest at least some of you into listening it. Most of the artists I like are established bands but some of them are long disbanded or not well known. They must never be forgotten.

As much as I like standalone songs I even more like entire albums since that was how I preferred to listen music. So that will be my main focus although in some cases I will give an example of individual songs.

From time to time you will have to excuse my poor english so I apologise upfront.
I shall now begin with my first contestant:


GAVIN CLARK


Recently deceased and beloved almost unknown singer from England.
Started his career in a band Sunhouse - they recorded one album and split before it was released. Year was 1998, album is long out of print by now. Luckily I still own a copy.
After that he formed Clayhill and in recent years did solo work and some collaboration with Unkle.

Shane Meadows did a short documentary of his life:

"Crazy on the weekend" by Sunhouse - one of the most underrated and probably unknown albums to date. This is in my opinion also one of the best debut albums ever. I sincerely recommend it to everyone. It has gorgeous songs, perfectly balanced sound + arrangements and of course Gavin's haunting voice.

There is this everpresent melancholy and almost pain like texture that I hear when I listen to him. Definitely reminiscent of Nick Drake but in a world of its own.
Best thing to do is to just listen and enjoy.

My favorites:

Sunhouse - Spinning Round The Sun / Hard Sun

Clayhill - One Nerve / Afterlight

Solo album - Beautiful Skeletons

http://www.rdio.com/artist/Gavin_Clark/album/Beautiful_Skeletons/track/Spinning_Round_the_Sun/?apSource=t59632224



R.I.P. Gavin, we love you forever...