Author: Aleš Podbrežnik
Artist: Gump
Label: Dallas Records
Release: 2013
Running time: 39:11
Rating: 4.5/5
Gump are a band from Zaprešič, Croatia. They’re a four-piece fronted by a female vocalist. »2013« is their studio debut, an eclectic record that deserves special treatment.
The music Gump make is utterly their own. Slapping an “alternative rock” or “alternative metal” label on it just doesn’t cut it, because what the band offers goes much, much further. They anchor the melodic ideas of their lead lines on the voluminous »groove« of the rhythm section. A hugely important piece of their sound is the actively pulsing bass guitar, which brings warmth, organic feel and depth to an otherwise gloomy overall sound, especially in the spots where it gets room to breathe in the verses, where the guitar often »rests« in the riff! This is a band with an exceptional unity in how its members hear ideas. Every member contributes an equal share to the band’s musical body, and it all falls into a perfect symbiosis of complementary perception of musical information.
Gump know exactly what they want, what they’re after and how far they want to reach. The vision is clear. In terms of energy flux, the rhythm section is outstanding. Its restless work, often eyeing an unpredictable development of each song through shifts of tempo and transitions, calls to mind the experimental touches in the arrangements of nineties »cross over« bands like Rage Against the Machine and Faith No More, while the occasional guitar solutions, as well as the deeply sensual »dark soul« delivery of the vocalist, bring them closer in energy to elements of grunge. Still, those comparisons tell you little. At best they can serve as a compass for the reader, so you know what to expect when »2013« spins in your CD player: a »wallop« of a musical adventure with a strongly eclectic art vibe. And that’s what counts. That’s what every band has to achieve. A band, that is, that came about through normal evolution, not as a pre-planned scheme by the corporate godfathers of today’s music industry.
The trip through »2013« is a perfect blend of madness and pain. The lyrics are highly intelligent, a »rebel’s bible« wrapped in superb metaphor! The follies of humanity and social decay are attacked head-on in masterfully yet sharply placed metaphors, while at the same time the words touch on spiritual realms and understand that the individual’s salvation is a final farewell to physical matter, in which we’ve been mentally »sunk« for over two millennia, through a long line of dirty deeds, and in which we keep sinking. The lyrics and the musical style are both deeply gloomy, yet organically alive and tangible. The fit between them, that almost chemical sense for each other, is outstanding. It’s poetry of apocalyptic horizons, announcing that a final catharsis is necessary, because what we live for and »serve« today simply isn’t our true calling. In this context, the cover of the EKV classic »Par godina za nas« fits the poetic concept of the debut perfectly: a visionary text, rearranged in harmony with Gump’s own statement of musical vision, and at first listen it comes across as one of their own songs, even though it isn’t. And that’s exactly the effect the band wanted to have on the listener.
The sound is dynamic and Gump sound natural, even though the guitar is focused on building a massive wall of sound, which, to get there, also trades in lower string tunings. But the main engine behind the wonderfully tasteful, self-made, you could even say unique eclectic content of »2013« is the outstanding voice of Ivana Pavlovič. She is completely locked in on every single line, totally focused on bringing the poetry to life. That may sound only logical, since she wrote 100% of it herself, but the dedication and sincerity she radiates are instantly captivating, and it’s precisely that honesty that gives you goosebumps. The passion on this album boils over from the first second to the last. Think of the feelings stirred in you by the timeless Croatian voices of Damir Urban or Massimo Savić. Only here, the source of those feelings is a woman.
This time you’ll have to find your own favorites, because the songs are all separate musical adventures, marked by remarkable charisma and a sharp, tightly focused approach to arranging. Gump fill the instrumental passages mostly with guitar work, but also by making very active use of the space for melodies on bass. Another thing that sets them apart is that they use these parts of the songs for flute arrangements, which Ivana takes care of, as well as for piano flourishes (at times already jazzy). Even though they come from a completely different songwriting dough, with their presence on the Croatian rock scene Gump are filling the gap left by the paralysis of Rijeka’s Father. With their arrival, Gump have definitely more than enriched the Croatian rock scene, especially bolstering the niche of highly intelligent alt rock/metal art, as the band’s distinctive musical dossier shows! »2013« is an excellent start for a band that, if it keeps this kind of sharp creative charge going, will deliver plenty more musical bliss. Both in the evolutionary sense, with constant experimentation in the arrangements, and in the sense of a breakthrough. Even onto the international scene and into wider recognition. So Gump are a band of exceptional potential, and the debut »2013« is a really lovely album full of tangible, honest, authentic content and a well-crafted songwriting charisma!
Damn it! This can’t be real. Why does every good thing have such a short shelf life? Ivana left Gump at the end of 2013. The band is currently looking for her replacement, and anyone interested can get in touch with them HERE!
Line-up
Ivana Pavlović – vocals, flute
Luka Prša – guitar
Josip Antolić – bass
Ivan Mađerić – drums, backing vocals
GUEST MUSICIANS:
Josip Tocilj “Joško” – piano on tracks 4 and 6
Vlada Divljan – guitar on track 7
Rista Ibrić – violin on track 5
Production
Brian Costello
Tracklist
1. Požuda
2. Na obzoru
3. Snađi se sam
4. Ljetna
5. Par godina za nas
6. Riječi istine
7. Trebam vremena
8. Sunce
9. Dio neba
10. Gdje smo?
