Gavial
Thanks, I Hate It
(Exile on Mainstream)
4/5
I’m a sucker for bass-driven rock ‘n’ roll. I also really love a plodding rhythm that feels like a war machine slowly picking up speed. Because of these reasons and more, which I will get into momentarily, I quite enjoy this little peach of a record.
Hailing from Germany—more specifically, from that magical triangle of weird art for weird art’s sake that is Dresden, Berlin, and Leipzig—Gavial are right at the cutting edge of weirdo rock, which for me can be pretty hit or miss. These guys know what works, though, which comes as no surprise considering they’ve been around for nearly 20 years. They formed as Tourette Boys in 2008 and rechristened themselves under the moniker Gavial in 2021 following a lineup shuffle, which brought with it the addition of that bass sound I like so much.
The album opens with “Control,” which immediately shows off bassist Paul Kollaschek’s impressive chops. This low, pensive bass line is pitted against the Robert Plant-esque, pleasantly nasal, straining voice of the hilariously named Benjamin Butter, the band’s lyricist, guitarist, and driving force. The song crescendos into a buzzing, harsh, cacophonic cymbal smash of distortion and noise that I really jive with because it’s like angry bees are trapped in my head and I love it, or something. IYKYK. After this assault, it drops back down, pares itself down, and exits through the entrance, a low, pensive bass line. Chef’s kiss.
The album carries on in this fashion, at times getting a bit repetitive. After the first few songs, as much as I dig it (remember what I said about the angry bees?) my mind starts to wander. I could very easily envision myself putting this on in the car with the intention of driving to the gas station down at the corner, and suddenly realizing I has halfway to Nanaimo.
Thanks, I Hate It packs it in with a cover of Chris Isaak’s timeless classic “Wicked Game,” because why not.
Overall, despite the repetition, I’ll be listening to this weird little record again.