Album Details

• Artist: Gitar
• Album: Seen As Unclean
• Label:
• Year of Release: 2012
• ME Rating:
• Reviewed by: redraiderstw on 2012-08-05

After over a decade of sharing "nuggets" of music from their individual albums, hip-hop enthusiast Mikhail Galkin and punk fan Tai Lee joined forces to become Gitar.  Best described as an explosive merger of their eclectic sensibilities that outreach normal genres in an ongoing quest for sonic adventure.  Much like several other bands I have discovered in the past, this album requires repeated listens to truly hear every textured nuance and influence of each track.  Taking their knowledge of music and experience, Gitar pulls from mid-90s hip hop, Pete Rock/DJ Muggs-like drums, classic Link Wray/Dick Dale surf guitar, and the rock-punk energy of The Clash to incorporate into their first full length album.

The album contains a wide array of sounds and noises that have been meticulously put together to produce a unique and refreshing sound on each track. Galkin & Lee also have chic basslines to bossa nova and spirited jazz chordings that are present throughout the album.  The opening track "Theme for Gitar" sets the tone with a Cuban-flavored guitar solo while on "Mr. Tourist" you hear a synth solo as well as a jangly, hypnotic trance in "Eyes of the World."  On the track "Get Low" there is even a spreading of mid-top tempo Beatlesque guitar riffs while on the opposite end of the spectrum "Soakin' Soul" is a tropical piece that is "as close to a love song as Gitar gets."

Whether you are a fan of indie rock or not, Seen As Unclean is a great started album to listen to.  It combines all the experiences and collaborations of two different artists that, when combined, produce a sound that is both catchy and trendy at the same time.

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