While Ron Gallipoli says he loves us all, it doesn’t sound like it, at least not initially. Sharpie Crows singer Sam Bradford, aka Gallipoli, gives us an album steeped in a foreboding, industrial menace. One that is dark and difficult upon first listen. But "difficult" albums are not to be dismissed after one listen, and given some patience you’ll discover that there’s a gracious amount of thought and creativity involved.
It’s nice to hear a New Zealand accent shine through for a change, and Ron speaking his thoughts on most tracks makes the listener pay attention to what is actually been said, rather than just humming along to a winsome melody. The line "Do I exist if I’m not getting paid?" is a thoughtful poetic statement to chew over, but mumbling “Our ancestors were all thieves, genocidal, raping murderers” is a tad grim - even with its touch of sarcasm.
Instrumentally it’s very diverse and distinctive, with deep dub bass grooves, police sirens, stabbing string samples, and what sound like drums made of steel being beaten by Trent Reznor. And this is often all together in the one song. The more you listen, the more it makes sense and understand what Ron is trying to do. He’s not making party pop ditties or songs to get you through the week, he wants to jar you out of your comfort zone and challenge you with what you’re hearing coupled with what’s been said. So it’s not an easy album, but hey, Ron Gallipoli loves us all. I think.
