The Gallery - ‘Restless'
I’ve known about The Gallery since 2007. Back then they were a good band with a few really great songs. In the past 6 years, since they first sent me their album ‘If You Know What I Mean’, the band has faced situations any career band must work though. Where to live, what to do for money, are we good enough? All this to say, that after constantly refining their music and pressing on, The Gallery have come out the other side with a new record, ‘Restless’, that’s fantastic.
You could argue that being one of the final 16 bands in Rolling Stone Magazine’s unsigned band competition was the point at which The Gallery stepped up to the next level. Or maybe it was recording their previous EP and now new album with Warren Huart (Aerosmith, Augustana, The Fray), but whenever and however the band took their songwriting to a higher calibre, it shows throughout ‘Restless’.
“White Noise Town” is a blistering punch of energy to get things kicked off only to be followed up with the album’s most infectious track, “Young & Restless.” The song is so strong in fact, you might as well clear your schedule for a few days because you’ll be busy humming along and bobbing your head to “We are the young and restless, together no one can stand against us…”
Tempo wise the band pulls it back for “Restless Soul,” slowing things down on my favorite song on the album. Though the word ‘restless’ comes up more than a few times in different songs, it’s “Restless Soul” that feels like it explains the entire album. Both “The Fever” and “The Runaround” didn’t stick out the first time as much as they do after a few listens. Both track have hooks that aren’t as punchy as “Young & Restless,” but once you are hooked the subtleties are so obvious. Adding “Ballroom Of Broken Hearts” and “Catalyst” to the new release was the right move, tweaking the existing songs and introducing them to a new, and hopefully bigger, fan base.
Looking back over the songs, I’m blown away at how good ‘Restless’ is and, by extension, how good The Gallery have become. An album with both depth and a healthy amount of pop qualities, ‘Restless’ is too good not to know about.