The Gadjits Albums (4)
What The Critics Say
This album seems a far cry from the Gadjits' earlier third wave ska revival music. In a lot of ways, one could say that the Gadjits have just jumped from one trend to another, changing in their checkered black-and-white shoes and suspenders for the messy haircuts and old t-shirts of the rock resurgence being offered up from acts like the White Stripes and the Strokes. However, there are extreme differences between those acts and the Gadjits. While all the acts are comprised of young individuals, the Gadjits' sound is more along the line of a blues and roots sound, as opposed to the Detroit sound of the White Stripes and the Television, Patti Smith-esque tunes that the Strokes spit out. That being said, with the harmonica here, the loud drums there, and the keyboards and Hammond and rhodes, as well as the song "Talkin' Bout My Demographic," there was a definite blast-from-the-past feel. It was as though there was an alternate dimension where John Mellencamp was just John Cougar, Danny Bonaduce (the Partridge Family) was a couple decades away from co-hosting The Other Half, and the Counting Crows had somehow traveled back in time to join them. Almost as if they all got together and recorded a secret studio session that very few will care about, with the exception of the folks at Austin City Limits. And on that stage, any second the Gadjits will be yellin' out, "Come on now!" and banging away on their respective instruments. No doubt with some deserved success, yet not without alienating many of their earlier fans and alluding all those whose taste in rock revivalism is non-existent. ~ Kurt Morris, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
This Kansas City-based ska outfit is teetering on the edge of greatness, but doesn't seem to be quite able to make the leap. What they have going for them is significant: a good ensemble groove, a solid grounding in the verities (check out the pitch-perfect rock steady sound they generate on "Angel and a Devil") and instrumental facility (check out the very hip guitar part on "Thinkin' 'Bout You"). What they're lacking, though, is also pretty important: strong melodies, for one thing, and a mature individual style for another (note to singer: if you're going to imitate Vic Ruggiero, better write tunes as well as he does). Also, by your third album you're supposed to have figured out that no one outside the band wants to hear songs about touring ("Cleveland, Ohio"). Potential Grammy nomination: "Jenny Jones (Leave the Death Rock Kids Alone)" for Best Song Title on a Ska Album. ~ Rick Anderson, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
The third wave's answer to the Beach Boys or perhaps an Osmonds for a new age? Nah, not really -- for starters, there's a girl in the band, keyboardist Heidi Blobaum, and she's not even related to the boys. Besides, unlike the Mormons' greatest commodity, the Gadjits actually play instruments and write their own songs. Still in their teens, these Kansas City residents self-released their debut album, and eventually caught the attention of Rancid's Tim Armstrong, who promptly signed them to his Hellcat label and brought in the Slackers' Victor Ruggiero and the Scofflaws' Victor Rice to oversee At Ease. The pair's nice-and-clean production accentuates the Gadjits' youthful sound (i.e., simplistic arrangements and rhythms), but that's OK, because it also emphasizes the band's catchy melodies and Brandon Phillips' distinctive vocals and lyrics. And more to the point, the production captures the group's energy and enthusiasm, particularly noticeable on songs like the instrumental "Corpse I Fell in Love With," the knees-up skanker "Party Girl," and the rocking "Need Yo' Luv." But for all the simplicity of the band's sound, there's more to the Gadjits' music than initially meets the ear, as the band blends its chugging reggae rhythms, circa 1968, with a mod-ish element that sets the group apart from the rest of the pack. It's best evidenced on the Maytals-meets-Stax "Backup," the Booker T. & the MG's-ish "Beautiful Girl," and the funk-ified "Seat 6," but even bleeds into straightforward skankers like "Tell Yourself" and "California" (with its echoes of Prince Buster), mostly thanks to Blobaum's deft keyboards. Covers of "Mustang Sally" and Symarip's "Skinhead Girl" nicely sum up the group's influences, but don't quite prepare one for the flashes of "La Bamba" that spring up in "Traffic Tickets." They still have some growing up to do, but already the Gadjits are on par with many of their older contemporaries, while their songwriting is often light years ahead. ~ Jo-Ann Greene, All Music Guide
'Da Gravy on Yo Grits'
Release Date 10/15/1996
Tracks 12
Label Joco Ska
See Album Tracklist and Review
