Gainer
You Say It Like It's a Bad Thing
by: Rex Dangerfield
Gainer’s debut LP, “You Say It Like It’s a Bad Thing,” has gathered the band a welcome bit of notoriety on the college music charts of late. It’s easy to see what would give the band a broad appeal. They keep the music hard and driving but don’t forget to write an engaging song. The vibe that Gainer projects has a punk bite but with catchier hooks and more melody than most of today’s radio rock.
The album grabs you by the collar, flying into the opener “Always on Stage,” which kicks off with an infectious stream of singing and distorted guitar, broken by aggressive pounds on the bass. Once the song finds its groove, it doesn’t let go. The next track, “Fever Pitch,” is another head-bobber that keeps the energy flowing, with a chorus that wraps you up and drum fills that beat through the song like a hammer drill.
From here the disc moves into slower territory, which was disappointing, because at this point my blood had just started flowing. The next couple of tracks maintain a mid-paced tempo that just doesn’t have the energy of the rest of the disc. And although there are some nice guitar crescendos, the overall effect of tracks three and four is that they bog down the album.
The rock returns, though, with song five, “A Loss that Feels Like Winning.” One of the bounciest and catchiest tracks on the disc, it works as a great hook to reel you back into a solid long-player. The rest of the CD is a stiff music cocktail, with equal parts punk and hard rock thrown in a blender and set to frappe. Hold the umbrella, though. It’s not a sweet mix, but one that swirls with a salty, bitter attitude.
The musicianship really shines, with a tight rhythm section and guitar licks much more intricate than traditional stripped-down punk. And thankfully, the singer can carry a tune without resorting to an ear-piercing screech. Produced at Tarrant, Alabama’s Syncromesh Studios, the disc also boasts a very full and professional-quality sound. You’ll want to sing along, jump up and down, and throw things that break.
Because the first half of the disc does drag a little with the slower material, “You Say It Like It’s a Bad Thing” might have been an absolutely stellar EP. As a 10-song CD, it is still a very strong release from a very talented Birmingham band. And you can always skip a track or two to get to the best cuts. Check out Gainer at www.killgainer.com.
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