East Bay Punk at its Finest
Sterling P. Demille | East Bay, CA | 11/26/2004
(5 out of 5 stars)
"This album incorporates the heavy, dark east bay punk rock style with melodic bass lines and thought provoking lyrics. Excellent songs from begging to end. If you like dark heavy punk rock this album is for you. It's right up there with Nausea (NY), Econochrist (EB), Grimple (EB), Filth (EB), Neurosis (EB), and Paxton Quiggely (EB), which if you have not heard you should. This album has everything you need in good punk rock, the guitar, the bass, the drums, and the singing are all excellent examples of the finest the East Bay has to offer. If you like punk rock, I highly recommend this album as well as the bands also mentioned in this article."
Something's In The Water
Whorehey | New York | 09/13/2008
(5 out of 5 stars)
"I don't know what it was about the East Bay towards the end of the 20th century but it was something to be desired. To spare people labels of the various disjointed counter culture music crowds, some of the best music was coming from Northern California. It seemed like they picked up where the forefathers left off. And of those bands, Dead & Gone had to be the top of the crop.
I had my reservations early on when I heard Billie Joe Armstrong (of Green Day if you've been living in a cave the better part of 2 decades) recorded this along with their 2nd LP. It should be noted, fans of his might find it hard listening to this. It lacks the sheen and typical overproduced big sound you'd hear from most groups today. Maybe it was a happy accident from his inexperience at the helm. But surprisingly, the murky production works in Dead & Gone's favour. One could argue Billie might've captured their last full length for all it was worth, but I digress.
With T.V. Baby being Dead & Gone's earliest effort, one can hear where their ear was. Where most bands blow up at the beginning to catch one's attention, Dead & Gone gives you a dark, brooding introduction. And at it's peak comes Shane Baker's vocal cords made of gravel. Bringing sheer terror and despair a 'la Nick Cave during his Birthday Party days. The title track has much of the same dynamics with a bass line and drums reminiscent of the same aforementioned band while the guitar work tinges with The Jesus Lizard or even the short lived Laughing Hyenas. But the harder, grittier sound is their own. It's similar to few older bands but unlike anything you'll hear today.
I see a lot of people compare them to early Neurosis but outside of the area they're from, I don't see a connection. It'd be like saying they sound like Blatz because Joey Perales was the drummer in that band. And it'd be a further disservice calling Dead & Gone another hardcore band. Though they do play on that at times, they would eventually evolve into a confident outfit that flirted with legendary status. The only shame for me is not getting enough. They came and gone as quickly and with the same ferocity their influences had. The silver lining is the music they left behind. Buy every album, every EP, and file it right alongside the bands you love."
Track Listings (14) - Disc #1
