I’ve seen Ron Gallo live a few times. I’ve listened to this LP, his debut and the EP in between numerous times. I think at this point I can safely say that Ron is not one for conventions. He’s got an idea of what he wants to do and he’s going to do it his way. So if you’re in the market for straight-ahead punkish garage rock, Gallo might not be your speed. But if you’re looking for someone who’s going to run that through his own prism, than Gallo might be your man.
The inspiration for this album was Gallo’s new found appreciation for meditation and how your personal inner-transformation can affect everything that’s going on around you. The album is broken into two halves – the first being dark and lost; while the second seems to be Gallo coming out of the darkness to enjoy life; the transition being the track, OM – a voice mail from Ron’s mind to Ron himself backed by the sound that I associated with meditation. It’s a clever demarcation that is delivered tongue-in-cheek style that I’ve come to associate with Gallo. My favorite tracks are Always Elsewhere and It’s All Gonna Be OK, the first full track on either side of his transformation. But to truly appreciate this album, it needs to be listened to front to back.
It appears that Gallo is on a quest to find fulfillment and happiness. Who knows if he’s there yet? For that matter, who knows if any of us are there yet? But I appreciate the fact that he is allowing us along for the ride, while penning some truly compelling tracks.
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Ron Gallo is here
