Half the charm is still it.

Gorilla Gorilla Gorilla - "Standing here like this"
Label: Atlanta Zone Records

Remember FACED OUT? This crazy, 8-person-strong collective out of St. Louis, Missouri delivered one of the most interesting albums of the year, falling somewhere inbetween Emo and Post-Hardcore. With excursions into SLINT-esque Post-Rock and Chamber-music, and usage of saxophones and violins, it was way ambitious but still succeeded in its high claim.

GORILLA GORILLA GORILLA is composed of 4 of the 8 members from FACED OUT. Half the members, half the insanity, eh? Yeah, somehow. Though they focus on something else, this time around. GGG can't really hide their links to FACED OUT. If you know their album, then you'll feel at home with some melodies, some vocals (the spoken words mostly) and the raw production. 

In essence, "Standing here like this" is a straightened up and quite sincere approach at a specific, nostalgic sound... that of Midwest-Emo. If I say "Midwest-Emo", I mean the nervous, oscillating flavor of the legendary CAP'N JAZZ. A lot of what's going on on GGG's debut EP tastes like "Burritos", no pun intended. It's fast and rhythmic, the vocals are confidently crooked, and the musicians constantly shift from melancholic melodies to harsh outbursts, without drawing a specific line between the two. Everything's here is rubbish, rubbish and heartfelt. And they all do this with tracks that are roughly 2 minutes long, except for the beautiful "We've been waiting on this train forever and for no time at all".

In terms of influences you could definitely add BRAID and ALGERNON CADWALLADER too, and maybe some SNOWING. It's the most genuine attempt at this sound/feeling I've heard in quite some time, without diggin' its nose into the whole New Wave-shtick. GGG are the kind of "side project" (are they?) I can get down with. They share a few, lovely traits with the main band, but are heading in a different direction from the very beginning. Even if this never was my favourite kind of Emo, they managed to drag me along...

GORILLA GORILLA GORILLA on Bandcamp
GORILLA GORILLA GORILLA on Instagram 

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