The punk/hard rock flamenco band are back with their brand new album, to be released tomorrow. I’ve been a fan of the band for a few years now, ever since seeing them at a HRH event a couple of years back. And since then, Gypsy Pistoleros have gained more and more momentum with each passing month, so it seems. So, let’s dive into this album together and see what it’s like!
The album’s title track kicks things off with a slow build guitar riff, immediately giving the collection an epic feel. The quicker, punkier pace explodes in, setting up a simple yet fun, bouncy verse. It all leads to a catchy chorus that gives off big Pretty Boy Floyd vibes. A pretty decent guitar solo is nestled in the middle of the track, and the dropped-down bridge with the vocals and clapping is great. I feel like it would all go over so well live! It’s a great way to not only open the album, but also introduce anyone unfamiliar with the band to their particular brand of noise.
A drum fill leads to another upbeat, mid-tempo track with ‘I Got it All’. It’s very glam/sleaze/AOR, and I see why the band are so popular with the HRH crowd, it is right up that street in terms of sound. Unfortunately the chorus doesn’t differentiate itself that much to the rest of the track, so it doesn’t quite feel as big as the previous track’s. Still though, the Spanish fit pretty perfectly in, and it’s still a damn enjoyable track! And the ‘lalala’ing is still catchy.
‘Revolution’ opens straight into a great, sleazy riff. The whole track drips with attitude and is put together perfectly with the drop-out verses and massive, simple, catchy chorus. I love all of the vocals in this track, and the backing and harmonies throughout add so much to them, too. The bridge goes pretty hard, something I’d again love to see live; a pit for it would be awesome! It’s my favourite track on the album so far, and easily makes our playlist.
The band go back to their punky, glam side with ‘What’s it Like to be a Girl’. There are again plenty of catchy vocals, mainly from the backing and harmonies. The interplay between them and Gypsy Lee is a lot of fun in this track. It all builds into a pretty great chorus too, the distorted guitars and huge drums coming in to fill out the rock sound. There isn’t much to this track, it’s just a fun, stomping rock track.
I’m already familiar with ‘The Ballad of Tommy Shelby’, having checked out the single when it was released. The slower, jazzy, bluesy clean open is amazing, and I’ve loved it since I first heard it. And the way it explodes into the faster, almost Rancid-like punky stuff after a minute is great. Again, the backing vocals are a massive highlight, especially with the ‘woh’s. It makes everything so fun and catchy. The dynamics between the cleaner, slower stuff and the balls-to-the-wall punk throughout is awesome, too. It’s a really good track, and definitely the right choice for a single. Another that easily makes the playlist!
Tracks ‘Like Tears in the Rain’ and ‘Maybe Tomorrow’ are both awesome, heavier punk numbers. They fit in perfectly with the album, but I’m struggling to say much about them that I haven’t already mentioned about previous songs.
‘Thrill Kill Killer Club’ is the heaviest track on the album and was a nice change of pace. It has more of a Motorhead vibe to it which was a lot of fun. And yet, it is still pretty catchy through the chorus. The Nancy Sinatra reference in the middle was a nice touch, too! It’s another track that easily makes our playlist!
The final Gypsy Pistoleros track on the album is the token ballad, ‘I’ll Remember You’. Honestly, it’s a really well written track and a sound that fits the band perfectly. The heavy riffing in and out of the chorus is awesome, and it’s all very catchy. It’s an incredible track, and I’d have honestly loved this to have been the closer, as it does have a rather epic, finale feel to it.
However, the album instead finishes on the band’s cover of ‘Come on Eileen’. Honestly, I’m not a fan of it. It’s such a MASSIVE, popular song that it’s so hard to do and not pale in comparison to the original. Also, I’m a big ska punk fan, so Save Ferris’ cover will always hold a special place in my heart. The track is good and I appreciate the effort to try and make it different, but it isn’t for me.
Overall: This was a lot of fun! The band occupy an interesting space currently where practically no one else in the UK underground scene is sounding like this, especially as a newer band. And they do said sound impressively well, and have crafted one hell of an album. It’s full of catchy moments, great playing, and genuine emotion. I can see why they are getting some serious momentum in the scene now!
The Score: 8/10