Gregg McKella Songs From The Underground Review by Gary Hill
I’ve previously reviewed the band Paradise 9, and Gregg McKella is part of that outfit. This solo album features some interesting music. It’s most often aligned along the lines of space music. At times it’s a lot like Hawkwind. There are also some punky, DIY elements at play along with folk music, progressive rock and more. This is a very effective release.
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Track by Track Review
All Said and Done
Intricate proggy sounds are the basis for this track. There are roots elements at play. It also has some space rock tendencies. It brings a bit of a punky edge. This lands in the zone of folk prog more than any other genre.
Gone So Silent
This is more straight rocking, but it still has some space rock in the mix. In fact, overall this reminds me to some degree of the punkier side of Hawkwind. I love the guitar soloing on the track. The space keyboards really reinforce that Hawkwind comparison.
New Horizons
Those same space keys get us underway here. The track works out to a melodic number from there. This includes a lot of intricate acoustic guitar work. It’s decidedly space rock oriented, but on the mellower side of things. That said, it works out toward more rocking zones further down the road. That space rock thing remains throughout.
Face in the Crowd
The space rock things are heard at times, but overall this feels more like a New Wave rocker. It’s classy stuff and brings some variety. It’s also pretty catchy at times. It has some Celtic angles built into it at times, too.
It’s Come to This
More rocking, this has a real driving punky angle to it. There are some still some hints of space rock, though.
Sacred Space
Purely instrumental, this includes classical instrumentation. It’s also space oriented and based on intricate guitar. It’s folk prog in a lot of ways.
Charlie Don’t Mind
Space rock meets punky folk rock here. This is a classy track, but it does seem to go on a little longer than it needs to to me.
One More Touch
More full Hawkwind-like mellow space rock is in play on this number.
New Dawn
This instrumental merges folk prog with space rock in a classy arrangement.
Time to Go
Less space rock oriented, this has more of an acoustic punk vibe. That said the space synth sounds are heard in the mix. It does turn spacier later with a saxophone wailing over the top bringing more Hawkwind comparisons.
Motherless Children
This song was written by Blind Willie Johnson. This version has some of that DIY punky angle along with folk rock and space music in the mix. I really love the droning vibe at play here. The instrumental section gets into pure space rock zones with a lot of charms.
Woman Like You
Coming in mellower and gradually growing upward, melodic progressive rock and space music merge on this thing. Thera are also elements of folk and jazz at play. The cut goes through almost three-quarters of its length before the vocals enter.