Search - David Gates :: Never Let Her Go

It's About Time!

Record Producer | Burbank, CA | 05/15/2008

(4 out of 5 stars)

"So nice to finally have some of the missing pieces in the David Gates story available on CD. After the slightly-saccharine title tune "Never Let Her Go" are some excellent songs, including hard-rockers like "Angel," "Watch Out" and "Chain Me." Even on the harder-edged songs, melodicism abounds, as it always does with Gates, but for those who like his more well-known softer side, there are excellent tracks like "Playin' On My Guitar," "Someday," and others. "Strangers" is a haunting tune, but my personal favorite is the upbeat "Greener Days." While best known for his ballads, Gates displays a wide range of styles on this short, but very rewarding album."

David Gates' second solo album

A. Butterfield | UK | 06/09/2008

(4 out of 5 stars)

"David Gates' 'First' album was such a tour de force that the second one was never going to match it, but he had a pretty good stab at it. Sadly there's no epic on here like 'Clouds Suite' but there's plenty of variety and a whole bunch of memorable songs done very nicely.

The title track and the exquisite 'Part Time Love' also appeared on his 'Goodbye Girl' album, though they appeared here first.

'Angel', 'Watch Out' and 'Chain Me' are the album's three 'rockers' though we're not talking Iron Maiden here, just David Gates with bit of attitude. For me they're okay but I can't take them totally seriously.

Much better are songs like 'Playin' on My Guitar' which probably should have been a hit single. It's one of my favourite Gates songs of all time and has a really haunting melody.

'Light of My Life' is an okay song with a typically well fleshed out and distinctive guitar solo (a feature of many of Gates' songs), while 'Someday' is the album's soppiest ballad (nice tune though), 'Greener Days' and interesting uptempo tune with a catchy hook and the final track, 'Strangers' an odd and slightly melodramatic tale about people not connecting with each other.

Though there's not exactly a bad song, there are a few that don't try too hard among the gems like 'Part Time Love and 'Playin' on my Guitar'. It's also a very short album - one of the shortest I own I reckon. He wouldn't have got away with it in today's world of sixty minute CDs and bonus tracks!

Even so, I still highly recommend this album to fans of David Gates and applaud the record label for finally, after 33 years, releasing it on CD."

Gates Catalogue back in Print

Joseph Delaronde | Montreal, Quebec | 09/11/2008

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Available after 30-plus years being out-of-print. Title cut, especially, sounds just like his old group, Bread - not a bad thing! Efficient service by seller."