22 Nov 2024
UsernamePassword

Remember Me? | Join | Recover
Click here to sign in via social networking

The Gemini Effect - Single Review: Gridlock Party

17 Jul 2021 // A review by Kev Rowland

There are some songs which are infectious from the start, with a sense of humour coming through the vocals even before listening to the lyrics, all combined with great hooks and Summer joy. Here we have a number which has been released in the middle of winter, which I am listening to on yet another rainy day in Auckland but is full of the joys of Summer – even if those joys are constrained to being stuck in overheating tin boxes as people make their way out of the city to the beaches or far North. The vibe behind this, is why stick in a traffic jam when instead you could be having a party?

The Gemini Effect are a trio who describe themselves as an alternative rock band, which is probably a fair description, but they also bring in dub and pop to create something which defies the listener not to move and have a blast. Unusually, the verse is generally backed by bass and drums only, with guitar coming in on the chorus and for some wonderfully short psychedelic interludes. It is hugely infectious, and the repeated refrain of State Highway One is bound to get everyone shouting along at gigs as the band implore everyone to stop the traffic and join them for a party.

The video of course shows gridlocked traffic (what, in Auckland?), and the guys deciding to entertain everyone by getting their gear out of the van and setting up to play. There are no signs of any generator, but obviously they must have put some Number 9 Wire ingenuity to resolving that, as soon they are rocking. Of course, someone has a barbie in the back of their ute, and soon sausages and bacon are being delivered as well. People in the audience all get a turn on the instruments, and like the song itself, the video is just a ball of fun. There are plenty of hooks in the song, and the guys are certainly shining a light on another grey day in Tamaki Makaurau and making everyone smile. Well worth investigating.

Rating: ( 4 / 5 )
 

About The Gemini Effect

The Gemini Effect are power trio alternative rock band from Auckland’s North Shore. Sometimes raw fury, sometimes tripping through a psychedelic wormhole, they focus pure energy. Always honest, channeling lyrics with a conscience. They are not afraid to draw from multiple musical genre’s, dipping into guitar driven glitchy garage rock and roll, to progressive dreamscapes and embracing off beat dub style.

The diverse influences of artists like the Joe Strummer, Jack White, Eddie Vedder, Sublime, Radiohead and The Prodigy can also be heard in The Gemini Effect’s music. To quote line from their song Drop the Needle "A to Z, rock to dread, Strummer fed", summarises what the Gemini Effect are all about.

Live, The Gemini Effect take you on an intense sonic and visual journey, opening your mind and making you part of the Gemini Tribe!

Visit the muzic.net.nz Profile for The Gemini Effect

Releases

Hotwire Babylon
Year: 2024
Type: Album
Bad Alien
Year: 2019
Type: Album
Atomic Blues
Year: 2017
Type: Album

Other Reviews By Kev Rowland

Gig Review: Crushfest @ The Tuning Fork, Auckland - 07/07/2023
07 Jul 2023 // by Kev Rowland
So it was down to Tuning Fork for the first night of the second Crushfest festival. Tonight was going to be Wellington and Auckland bands, and then some of the same will be playing at the second night in Wellington next month.
Read More...
Rain - Single Review: Love and War
15 Jun 2023 // by Kev Rowland
It has been quite a while since I last heard from Wellington-based singer songwriter Cathy Elizabeth, and back then Rain was seen solely as a studio project with Cathy being accompanied by Thomas Te Taite, who provided all the instrumentation including digital drums. Now they are a full band who have been performing live, and it is the first time they have recorded as such, with Thomas now, just providing acoustic guitar (plus engineering and producing etc.
Read More...
Lost Vessels - Single Review: All This Time
01 Jun 2023 // by Kev Rowland
I must admit I was not that impressed when I first saw Lost Vessels play at Crushfest, something they later admitted to me was the worst gig of their career, but since then they have improved in leaps and bounds. This has been noticed by others on the Auckland circuit as they are getting more opportunities with better support slots, and I was not at all surprised when they won the Ding Dong Lounge Battle Of The Bands in November last year.
Read More...
Unwanted Subject - Single Review: Sons of Savages
28 May 2023 // by Kev Rowland
I have caught Unwanted Subject in concert a few times over the last couple of years, and while they have been getting better each time I have seen them, I must admit that nothing prepared me for this, which right from the off is a monster. I have never heard them quite this is aggressive, nor as polished, and this multi-sectioned single sounds almost like a different band as they have pushed their metal roots to the max in this metalcore beast which sees them mixing and blending different genres to create something quite special.
Read More...
Gig Review: Stray Dogs @ AUX, Auckland - 26/05/2023
28 May 2023 // by Kev Rowland
So it was back to Ding Dong Lounge on a Friday night for one of their infamous Emo nights, which tonight was a three-band bill with Stray Dogs having an extended set, supported by Altaea and then up first we had Blindr, a band new to me. Blindr are a quartet featuring Bill Caldwell (vocals, guitar), Blake Woodfield (lead guitar), Jack Power (bass), and Charlie McCracken (drums).
Read More...
Gig Review: Turkey The Bird @ The Ministry of Folk, Auckland - 27/05/2023
27 May 2023 // by Kev Rowland
Back up to Auckland Guide Centre in Mount Eden tonight for my second consecutive gig (Sol suggested it was a turkey sandwich as I am at Vader tomorrow) to see Taranaki’s finest, Turkey The Bird at The Ministry of Folk. Before that we of course had Hoop, who are Al Baxter (vocals, guitar, harmonica, banjo, mandolin), Nick Edgar (vocals, guitar, ukulele, flute, harmonica), Emily Allen (violin, viola), Glenn Coldham (bass) while tonight Gary Hunt was filling in for drummer Rusty Knox.
Read More...
This Silent Divide - Single Review: Beautiful Creature
25 May 2023 // by Kev Rowland
Here we have the latest single from Wellington-based melodic hard rock quartet This Silent Divide, entitled Beautiful Creature. I really enjoyed their Tall Stories EP, and they played a great gig at Dead Witch towards the end of last year, and this would have been recorded at about the same time.
Read More...
Gig Review: Emily Rice @ Your Local Coffee Roasters, Pukekohe - 24/05/2023
24 May 2023 // by Kev Rowland
Earlier this week I had a message from Emily Rice asking me if I lived in South Auckland. When I responded I did, she asked if I would be interested in coming along to an event she was putting on in a coffee shop in Pukekohe to celebrate the release of her new single, Warenoa.
Read More...
View All Articles By Kev Rowland

NZ Top 10 Singles

  • APT.
    ROSÉ And Bruno Mars
  • DIE WITH A SMILE
    Lady Gaga And Bruno Mars
  • BIRDS OF A FEATHER
    Billie Eilish
  • TASTE
    Sabrina Carpenter
  • I LOVE YOU, I'M SORRY
    Gracie Abrams
  • ESPRESSO
    Sabrina Carpenter
  • SAILOR SONG
    Gigi Perez
  • LOSE CONTROL
    Teddy Swims
  • A BAR SONG (TIPSY)
    Shaboozey
  • GOOD LUCK, BABE!
    Chappell Roan
View the Full NZ Top 40...
muzic.net.nz Logo
100% New Zealand Music
All content on this website is copyright to muzic.net.nz and other respective rights holders. Redistribution of any material presented here without permission is prohibited.
Report a ProblemReport A Problem