For many of us born and bred on American shores, we are naturally conditioned to encapsulate a consumerist mentality. As we become accustomed to our own United States-manufactured products, a familiarity with foreign-produced luxuries also enters our capital-driven obsessions. Desires for imported merchandise from Japan, Chile, or even Iceland fulfills our commerce-flavored wet dreams that enhances each and every one of us in a broader cultural context. Case in point: the mere mention of Italy indoctrinates our minds with visions of exotic sounding brands that are highly coveted among the privileged, such as Armani, Ferrari, Lamborghini, and Chef Boyardee (that one counts, right?). Then, there’s Paolo Fioretti, Giordano Baldoni, and Daniele Fioretti. If you’re unfamiliar with those three names, then you’ve done yourself a great injustice by missing out on “The Gentlemens”.
Unlike Meat Loaf, the Gentlemens are all revved up with places to go.
The Gentlemens began their punk ‘n’ blues assault in 2014 with a self-released album, “Less Said, the Better”. As a debut, the (non) Gentle ones unleashed a fuzz-drenched monster that ticked off all the boxes of Gories/Back From the Grave-flirting garage rock ‘n’ roll. In other words, it was supreme, amici! Standing head and shoulders with the roster of bands on Crypt Records, it was hard pressed to say that there was anything amateurish about the Gentlemens’ arrival. The opener “Baby Fun” introduced the listener to a bastard hybrid of Bantam Rooster and the Cramps, making even the most seasoned underground music critics take notice. And if they weren’t hooked by the second track “Tonight”, then the press elite were apparently too wrapped up in that year’s Godsmack disc. Commercial trends be damned, the Gentlemens decided to spend the next couple of years writing another batch of insanity hymns and perfecting their already non-flawed sound. After an excruciating wait, the trio gifted their salivating hordes with “Hobo Fi”, a thirteen song collection that went down like a well aged bottle of Lambrusco. Chapter two of the Gentlemens’ saga of dominance was released by Italy’s own Area Pirata, a label that specializes in garage and punk bands from the land of lasagna.
This is false advertising, because you would never fall asleep to a Gentlemens album.
Having stuck to the script of taking their time to cultivate more quality product, Paolo, Giordano, and Daniele dropped their third full-length “Triage” nearly three years later. Released on February 22 from Germany-based Hound Gawd! Records, the Gentlemens have offered plenty of proof that a longer gestation period pays off. For starters, the first track “Still I Am” is a heavy dosage of sinister Cramps flavoring, suggesting that the guys are worthy enough to carry on the baton of swampy freakishness. “Sheltered” is a bare-knuckled blast of grease ‘n’ bolts that’s screaming to be blared from the last of the V8 Interceptors in a post-apocalyptic wasteland, with the Gentlemens going full tilt kick ass (and this is only the second track!). “John Q Public Blues” brings to mind the Jon Spencer Blues Explosion with lots of Nick Cave thrown in for a swift kick in the cojones. Other standouts include “Lower Ground Floor”, “D’Lana’s Flavor”, and “Out Of Here”, solidifying a tight package of intense tunes that could lead more than a few converts to the gospel of garage.
To pick up a copy of “Triage”, head over to the Hound Gawd! Records website.
For tour information, additional info, videos, and more, check out the band’s official website.
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