Davíd Garza Albums (8)
What The Critics Say
David Garza rocks far too hard to be relegated to the heady singer/songwriter section of the record store. On Overdub, he ditches the acoustic sound associated with wordsmiths and opts for electric guitars, adds techno beats to some tracks, and creates as energetic an album as any rocker has produced in the past few years. The mix of electronic drums and piano riffs on "Drone" and the Zeppelin-esque Middle Eastern guitar riffs and howls on "God's Hands" in particular overflow with the testosterone goodness of straight-up rock. To this he brings his way with words that garnered him the singer/songerwriter appellation. On "God's Hands," he sings with the appropriate note of sarcasm, "Praise the Lord, shake your ass, kingdom come is coming fast." He plays the acoustic guitar on several tracks as well, but even those feel more like modern rock than folk standards thanks to his rapid-fire vocal delivery and sense of humor, as displayed on "Say Baby," a diatribe against trying to get radio play. He pulls off ballads with equal grace and intensity, including the haunting "Soul Custody" and "Bloodsuckers," the latter of which features Garza singing falsetto à la Jeff Buckley. Not all the tracks live up to the originality of the album's best songs, though. "Blow My Mind" and "Crown of Thorns" sound like generic rock songs that anyone could record, which is especially disappointing considering the quality of the other tracks. ~ Michael Gowan, All Music Guide
'Kingdom Come and Go'
Release Date 11/23/1999
Tracks 11
Label Wide Open
See Album Tracklist and Review
What The Critics Say
Solo acoustic records are generally a mixed bag. If they work, it can seem as though the singer is in the room as you play the record, singing only for you. There's a level of intimacy that can't be matched by a slick, full-band effort. Yet if they fail, that intimacy becomes cloying, and you wish you could kick the singer out of your house for good. David Garza's Kingdom Come & Go is eons removed from his previous effort, This Euphoria, and is as brittle and edgy an acoustic record as you'll find. Garza takes the concept of the solo acoustic record and adds a heavy dose of raw intensity. More surprisingly, that intensity comes not just from the songwriting, but from the production as well. On songs like "Compassion," he toys with the intimacy of vocal and guitar, veering the sound suddenly from gentle quiet to fiery intensity. Throbbing drum-machine beats accompany him on "We on Fire" and "Turn Your Face to the Sound," creating a dull hypnotic rhythm over which Garza's guitar and vocals can simmer. Other songs, like the quiveringly delicate "Summer Sky," take a more traditional approach to acoustic music, using the quiet of minimal accompaniment to draw the listener in. As a whole, Kingdom Come & Go is a prickly experiment of a record, one where you'll cautiously welcome Garza into your home, only to be surprised that he's got far more tricks up his sleeve than just his acoustic guitar. ~ Matthew Springer, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
David Garza made his major label debut in a big, brilliant way -- compared to the almost genteel efforts on earlier albums like Eyes Wide Open, This Euphoria flat-out rocks. Call it a natural progression, call it what happens when there's big bucks to work with, but Garza came up with one of the best rock albums of the second half of the '90s. Working with a variety of side musicians and recording at various spots in Texas and elsewhere, Garza comes on like the strutting, sly love child of Marc Bolan, Robert Plant, and Freddie Mercury, not to mention their respective bands. Unlike, say, the tedious necrophilia of Lenny Kravitz or the Black Crowes, though, Garza wins out on both singing ability and his ear for powerful, catchy material -- and he just sounds a little more engaging and much less full of himself. The opening track, "Kinder," almost misrepresents the album -- the bold, John Bonham-esque beat and descending fuzz guitar chords are just fantastic, but there's much more happening on This Euphoria. On the bold, straightforward tip, "Slave" is the absolute winner, something that would have been one of the best T. Rex songs ever if that group had done it; it's catchy, strong, and romantic, with a perfect balance of feedback and Garza's singing strength. Subtler approaches also appear throughout, as with the string arrangements on "Baptiste" or the nutty drum machine into full drum punch of "Discoball World." The title track is an understated piece of freaky soul psychedelia, with Garza's electric guitar laying down weird parts in the background behind both shuffling and stronger funk beats. Quieter numbers, meanwhile, leaven the impact with no less passion than the louder songs ("Lost," the beautiful "I Know," and "Float Away" are particular winners), and compared to his polite pop past, Garza and company sound more relaxed, free, and able to try things out. ~ Ned Raggett, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
Those who know David Garza's career will consider his different iterations all part of his larger catalog. He recorded as Dah-Veed and released no less than four tape-only albums under that moniker. (Dah-Veed followed Davíd Garza & the Lovebeads, which followed Twang Twang Shaka Boom.) The very aptly titled 1000 Copies was the last release from Dah-Veed and was a limited release, though who knows if there really were 1000 or if that exceeded his normal run of self-released albums. The final release under this moniker came the year after he wrapped up Twang Twang Shaka Boom. Another one only on tape. But this was the only Dah-Veed tape exclusive. Nonetheless, it's music you have to steal or beg to dub in order to hear it . ~ JT Griffith, All Music Guide
'Eyes Wide Open'
Release Date 1/1/1991
Tracks 14
Label Crystal Clear Sound
See Album Tracklist and Review
What The Critics Say
Garza's 1991 release didn't bear immediate resemblance to his more well-known work at the decade's end -- Eyes Wide Open, far from being a glammy power pop monster, is instead a pleasant little record: polite, quietly funky, amiable. In short, it doesn't so much blow down the walls as it does softly bop along, occasionally able to subtly spike the brew with clever, jazzy melodies and breakdowns. A pity everything sounds a bit too fussy in general, his experiments in various musical approaches -- reggae for "ScatterBrain," hip-hop on "LockJaw" -- generally sounding like the equivalent of paint by numbers. His backing band, meanwhile, is competent but not often inspired. If the arrangements are mostly just there, though, Garza's strong, fluid singing is very much in place -- he's a great vocalist, sounding a less showoff-prone Freddie Mercury in his quieter moments, and it's that quality which stands out most from the songs rather than the overall performances. His ear for creative hooks and choruses is also in place, if delivered in more understated fashion than in later years. "Now You Can Open Your Eyes" especially wins on that front, with quick acoustic guitar strums offsetting his warm delivery. Where the songs collectively succeed best is when he strips back full band arrangements to showcase his singing and playing. "Sea of You," a duet with backing vocalist Julie Sheffield, makes for a great, emotionally intense winner; the two able to pump up the intensity suddenly but generally singing softly to his soft, sweet semi-waltz time acoustic lope. Garza's also able to rope in some high-profile friends here and there -- Fishbone's Angelo Moore contributes some fine vocals on the soulful "Virgin Mary Candle," while Edie Brickell's rhythm section keeps the subtle beat on the beautiful, Tex-Mex tinged "Fallen Angel." ~ Ned Raggett, All Music Guide
