Band : Gingerpig
Album Title : The Ways Of Gingerpig
Label : Suburban
Distributor : Suburban
Release Date : 29/04/2011
Review : CD

I was thrilled to see ex-Gorefest member Boudewijn Bonebakker (guitars/vocals) here, cuz he stands for quality, and I was right.. Gingerpig seems to focus a lot on the 70s progressive side of rock music. A variety of influences can be heard throughout the 8 tracks, which is mostly in the vein of bluesy hammond rock, albeit with a degree of more soul, funk and jazz styles creeping in every now and then. All compositions seem well taken care of; no fillers in here, but Gingerpig are at their best on the longer tracks “Dimlighted heart”,  “Digging with bare hands” and Purple-opener “Indefinite muddle of conspiracies”. The best track “Dimlighted heart”  impresses with a hard driving opening riff, which may well remind of Hawkwind, but Gingerpig do manage to add their own unique twist. They even throw in an amazing jazzy-tinged guitar solo – this really is a fizzying concoction. The middle part is quite thrilling stuff. The instrumental “March of the gingerpig”is a swinging Atomic Rooster-like driven jam.“Joe cool (the fool)” is perhaps the grooviest piece on the album and showcases the excellent interplay between Syste Roelevink’s funky bass playing and Maarten Poirters’ inspired drumming. Boudewijn Bonebakker shines in “Digging with bare hands” where he reveals his excellent and powerful lower pitches wrapped in his passionate vocal performance. His guitarsolos and runs are always tasteful and never get in the way of the music.  The CD has a good pace and never runs out of steam or looses momentum. I should also highlight the impressive potential that organ player Jarno Van Es  showcases on this album. Bonebakker’s long running interest in 70's rock puts a lot of keyboard sounds from that era into his music The use of the Hammond organ alone makes this one a winner for me, as it brings to mind so much of the music I listened to while growing up. The production of Pieter Kloos (Motorpsycho, 7Zuma7, 35007) is ideal; every instrument is heard 'as is'. Really, a wonderful, warm sound you will adore.

Missed em at Cul De Sac during Roadburn, but I will take my sweet revanche at Yellowstock.

gingerpig = pigbumps

90/100

Cosmicmasseur.