By
Adam Pugh
Arizona Daily Wildcat
Ours
Distorted Lullabies
(DreamWorks)
Grade: A
What ever happened to do-it-yourself music groups? They have returned in the forms of Jon Crosby (V.A.S.T.) and Jimmy Gnecco of the new "group" Ours. Distorted Lullabies is the brainchild of a superb composer and songwriter who expresses his musical vision and emotion through each note and scream that jump out of the speakers. Gnecco plays almost all of the instruments on an album that compares to that of V.A.S.T., only with an even edgier approach to its music. Startling his listeners with well-placed cries of pain in the middle of several of the tracks, Gnecco constructs his voice as the main attraction of the album - crafting a well-deserved focus on the words rather than on the notes.
Ours manages to create a world of bittersweet melody that lets the listener hear the pure emotion rolled into each song. The lyrics develop an introspective narrative that provides a sharp counterpoint to the darker music. With names such as "Fallen Souls," "Medication" and "Dancing Alone," it is apparent that Gnecco is letting his music become a cathartic experience for everyone to hear.
The album's idea may seem a bit depressing on the surface, but this is not something to take at face value. Gnecco has produced an album that has quality songs and a sound that reflects many weeks of hard work. Finding good musicians in today's world of music has become much like looking for a good movie with one of the Baldwin brothers - they are few and far between.
