‘Lucid Trail’: The Gallerys’ marvellous musical journey
The Gallerys are back with their first release since 2018. ‘Lucid Trail’ guides us on a profound musical journey, replete with rock n roll riffs and mellow melodies, whilst the lyrics challenge some of modern day life’s problems.
After a year of hard work and gigging with the likes of The Bluetones and Madness, The Gallerys have returned with another EP. ‘Lucid Trail’ is a sophisticated melange of smooth ballads, sleek harmonies and rock melodies. In other words, ‘Lucid Trail’ has something for everyone…
Recorded at Squarehead Studios in Sittingbourne — by James Simpson and Dave Young — ‘Lucid Trail’ shows the lads have gained the confidence to experiment and push the boundaries more with their musical abilities. ‘Lucid Trail’ depicts development from their distinguished debut EP, ‘Paisley’ — a short introduction to their talents and influences, featuring the fan-favourite ‘Imperfect Perception’.
In 2018, The Gallerys released their sophomore EP, ‘It’s Up To You’. It was recorded at the iconic Abbey Road Studios. The EP offers a ride back in time, into the heat of the 60s musical revolution.
With hindsight, both ‘It’s Up To You’ and ‘Paisley’ are incredibly impressive for a new young band, exhibiting an array of talents in their musical skill set. Nevertheless, ‘Lucid Trail’ possesses a more polished, professional and profound sound.
The title track is about overcoming anxiety and accepting yourself for who you are. It consists of an effortless blend of steady drumming, mellow acoustic guitar strumming and exquisite vocals, creating a serene soundscape that engulfs the listener. A must-listen-to for fans of The Seahorses, Starsailor and Turin Brakes.
It feels like a forgotten dream. People need to stop staring at me. Cause here I go round the bend, of solitary — The Gallerys.
No song demonstrates the band’s 60s and Britpop influences more than ‘Shadow Street’. Simple drum and guitar rhythms allow us to focus on their trademark harmonies before the track is fused with energy, while tackling the issue of wanting to get out of a dead-end town.
Branching out from the band’s typical style, ‘Steady Beat’ takes a creative shift. The lyricism, revolving around how hard it is in this modern age to make a living as a young person, is reflected through ardent guitar rhythms, pounding percussion and a no-nonsense tone.
The blissful closing track, ‘Silver Lining’, ends the EP on a high. The lyrics — written by Barden — explore the difficulty of balancing a relationship with fulfilling your life ambitions. From the first line, the vocal harmonies exude a cool elegance. Along with the other three songs, ‘Silver Lining’ clearly indicates this is The Gallerys at their best.
Walk with me on a summer’s day. When all the trees are bare. Tell me all your deepest fears. The treasures of your golden years — The Gallerys.
I had the pleasure of talking to The Gallerys about their new release last week. We spoke about the EP, their songwriting processes and how they felt about ‘Lucid Trail’ compared to their previous releases.
Asked how they selected the EP’s title, the lads replied: “We had no idea what the EP was going to be called when we recorded it. We’re proper organised like that. Eventually, over a bromantic dinner/band meeting, we decided Lucid Trail had the best ring to it”.
Revealing that the songs were inspired by their everyday lives, the band told Alternative Atmosphere: “James (guitar/vocals) wrote Lucid Trail & Steady Beat, and Craig (bass/vocals) wrote Shadow Street & Silver Lining. Then, it’s to the rehearsal room and ‘Gallery’d’ up. When the three of us rehearse you can start to hear the music come to life”.
Despite the phenomenal success of their debut EP in 2017, Craig admitted ‘Lucid Trail’ was ‘100%’ their favourite EP. “Anyone who listens to the EP will get a good idea of what to expect at one of our shows. A blend of different colours and ideas moulded into our own sound”.
Continuing on their journey to success, the talented trio couldn’t have had a stronger comeback, showcasing their many sounds — here at Alternative Atmopshere we think the EP is one of the strongest releases of 2019! Stream the title track ‘Lucid Trail’ below, and stay tuned as The Gallerys are about to embark on their largest UK tour, visiting Manchester, London, Maidstone and more.
This article was originally published on Alternative Atmosphere in July 2019.
