* in stock
CD: CONTRA1CD
RELEASED: 2000
LABEL: Contra
01. Does He Have A Name? - Excerpt
02. Fill Her Up
03. The British Disease
04. Where Are They Now?
05. London, Can You Wait?
06. Mayday
07. As Good As It Gets
08. Your Love, It Lies
09. Rising For Sunset
10. For The Dead
11. Be My Light, Be My Guide
12. Speak To Me Someone
13. Olympian
14. You'll Never Walk Again
15. Somewhere In The World
On the strength of early singles like "For the Dead" (1994) and "Be My Light, Be My Guide" (1994), as well as their debut album Olympian (1995), Gene were heavily touted for stardom in the British guitar-pop stakes. Through no real fault of their own, however, they've never really attained the kind of success for which they seemed destined. They've been dogged in equal measure by the standard fickleness of the British music press, by the mysterious ways of the pop gods (who reward no-marks with success and thwart the talented) and by the all too obvious workings of the entertainment industry. Gene's first album is well-represented here by melancholy old faves such as "Olympian," "Your Love, It Lies" and "London, Can You Wait?" Rossiter's plaintive, economical vibrato (a la Morrissey) ably oversees their guitar- and Hammond-fueled flourishes. Also noteworthy are the live versions of the first two singles that put Gene on the map: "For The Dead," which stands as a timeless piece of crisp guitar pop; and "Be My Light, Be My Guide," which nicely captures the interplay of the keyboards with Steve Mason's guitar -- alternately melodic and searing -- that is characteristic of Gene at their best. Although the earlier material foregrounds Gene's talked-about-to-death musical, vocal and lyrical debt to the Smiths, the live performances on Rising emphasize the fact that there has always been much more to Gene's music than the jangle and moan of Marr and Morrissey. This live sampling of some of Gene's best material offers the unconverted a perfect introduction to the band. Hopefully this will initiate a new chapter in their career that sees their arguably under-recognized talents ultimately rewarded.
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![Gene - Rising For Sunset [live]](http://img1.willyfogg.com/thumb.php?pid=12128106&pref=l&mod=Thu%2C+08+Apr+2010+08%3A04%3A19+GMT&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.redsunrecords.com%2Fimages%2Fgene-rising.jpg&w=200&h=200 "Gene - Rising For Sunset [live]")
