Gear Blues is an album by the band Thee Michelle Gun Elephant, released in 1998.[5][6] It was released in the United States in 2000.[7]

Gear Blues
Studio album by
ReleasedNovember 1998
Recorded1997–1998
GenreGarage rock
Length55:45
LabelTriad[1]
Thee Michelle Gun Elephant chronology
Chicken Zombies
(1997)
Gear Blues
(1998)
Casanova Snake
(1999)
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[2]
NME[3]
Sputnikmusic5/5[4]

Critical reception

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NME wrote: "Armed with an arsenal of hooks, chiselled cheekbones and oodles of self belief, Thee Machine Gun Elephant are credible heirs to the garageland throne, and, if that wasn’t enough, a paragon of internationalism."[3] LA Weekly thought that "vocalist Yusuke Chiba is a hoarsely authoritative presence, and bassist Koji Ueno and drummer Kazuyuki Kuhara have eliminated the Who-derived busyness of their early approach in favor of seamless, no-nonsense propulsion."[8] Rolling Stone concluded that "the attention to visceral detail is what distinguishes Gear Blues from mere Nuggets and Brit-punk slavishness."[9]

AllMusic wrote that "the album ends with a bittersweet, melancholy, space punk groove on 'Danny Go'."[2]

Track listing

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  1. "West Cabaret Drive" – 5:26
  2. "Smokin' Billy" – 3:26
  3. "Satanic Boom Boom Head" – 2:50
  4. "Dog Way" – 3:15
  5. "Free Devil Jam" – 2:42
  6. "Killer Beach" – 5:10
  7. "Brian Down" – 4:45
  8. "Hotel Bronco" – 1:43
  9. "Give The Gallon" – 5:15
  10. "G.W.D." – 3:52
  11. "Ash" – 3:34
  12. "Soul Wrap" – 4:14
  13. "Boiled Oil" – 4:10
  14. "Danny Go" – 4:54
  15. "Jenny" - 3:22

European Release

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The European release does not contain 'Jenny' but has an extra bonus disk with 'Get Up Lucy' and 'Cisco'

References

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  1. ^ Botchick, Cheryl (Mar 22, 1999). "Must Hear". CMJ New Music Report. 57 (610): 3.
  2. ^ a b "Gear Blues - Thee Michelle Gun Elephant | Songs, Reviews, Credits | AllMusic" – via www.allmusic.com.
  3. ^ a b "Thee Michelle Gun Elephant : Gear Blues". NME. September 12, 2005.
  4. ^ "Review: Thee Michelle Gun Elephant - GEAR BLUES". Sputnikmusic.
  5. ^ "Thee Michelle Gun Elephant Biography, Songs, & Albums". AllMusic.
  6. ^ Morris, Chris (Oct 16, 1999). "Japanese rockers Thee Michelle Gun Elephant rip it up". Billboard. 111 (42): 73.
  7. ^ "Thee Michelle Gun Elephant: Gear Blues, PopMatters". October 30, 2000.
  8. ^ "Soul Warp". LA Weekly. Retrieved 7 October 2021.
  9. ^ Fricke, David (Jan 18, 2001). "Gear Blues". Rolling Stone (860): 57–58.