Daring, distorted and undoubtedly candid, Gichard’s debut album is a career-defining statement.
It’s not often that I come across an artist I’m so unsure of that I keep listening because I’m utterly intrigued, this was the case with Gichard. Far from my usual eclectic palette of dad-rock and Debussy, ‘Chins for Lefty’ is a strikingly surreal collection of work that demands your attention.
Nowadays it’s easy to skip through a million tracks until we find something that suits us perfectly and disregard the rest, however the opening track ‘Cholesterol Test’ has a deceptively inviting composition that makes you want to find out more. Layers of reverberant vocals and a repetitive guitar hook floating between your ears lures you in as the track slowly builds to vocalist Lisa Jones’ disparate one way monologue.
The tracks which follow explore the world as Lisa and Chas see it, yet there is an obvious injection of humor, sarcasm and absurdity that forms the foundation of the duo’s artistic style. Gichard has dared to say things that most artists these days would not, and despite their observations appearing random, ‘Chins for Lefty’ is surprisingly relatable in many ways, none more so than the opening of their second track ‘Asking the Apes’ in which Lisa states she ‘prefers things to people’. This track provides a stark contrast with its immediate intensity and strong spoken word narrative that encapsulates the style of the Scottish duo, clearly influenced by Jones’ poetry background and Lalli’s career in the noise scene.
The album comprises eight tracks, all expressing different moral dilemmas and exaggerated caricatures of fictional experiences as imagined by Jones, accompanied by equally interesting musical arrangements that showcase the experimental depth of Gichard’s ability. Some tracks are built entirely on repetitive vocals and trance-like melodies while others are unforgiving and brash and it is this dynamism that prompts you to keep listening. The pair aim to call attention to unraveling, end-stage capitalist society we live in and while not all of Jones’ lyrics may not be immediately understood, each track invites you to discover the deeper story, albeit strange at times.
The album closes with the rather humorous ‘Personal Hell’ where Lisa narrates a story including carbolic soap, hot dogs and stalking someone at the late night spar, which at first listen appears entirely random but over time, there is an endearing Glasgow-ness to it all. With the album primarily recorded at home, the listener can get a real sense of the authentic Gichard style which is politically charged and does not submit to any pre-determined notions of traditional music, it is this experimental spirit infusing Gichard’s work that sets them apart entirely from others on the current scene.
If the post-punk, experimental vibe of Gichard is what you’re looking for, you’re in luck! They have several gigs lined up across Scotland and England including;
The Old Hairdressers, Glasgow, October 21st
The Lubber Fiend, Newcastle, November 6th
Centrala Space, Birmingham, November 7th
You can listen to the full album here.