But it's not just the booze that makes rooms spin for these boys; it's also the women, and it remains to be seen which is more habit-forming -- and destructive. Either way, the drama of both is painted in broad strokes across this record. A "Slow Recovery" is all about the damnation of desire as it settles into a curled-lip, Spy Hunter-groove. "J.H.-S" is just as mean, with Gillard singing with the disaffected cool of the late Mark Sandman, while his guitar loses the composure he so duly maintains.
Mule kicks aside, Gem is just as capable of being sublime as sauced. This is made evident by the ambrosial "A Slow Crawl" and the bipolar "Nothing but the Quiet Now." Still, there can be no doubt that these guys are happiest making hips shake as violently as their hands.
We welcome readers to submit letters regarding articles and content in Cleveland Scene. Letters should be a minimum of 150 words, refer to content that has appeared on Cleveland Scene, and must include the writer's full name, address, and phone number for verification purposes. No attachments will be considered. Writers of letters selected for publication will be notified via email. Letters may be edited and shortened for space.
Email us at news@clevescene.com.
Cleveland Scene works for you, and your support is essential.
Our small but mighty local team works tirelessly to bring you high-quality, uncensored news and cultural coverage of Cleveland and beyond.
Unlike many newspapers, ours is free – and we'd like to keep it that way, because we believe, now more than ever, everyone deserves access to accurate, independent coverage of their community.
Whether it's a one-time acknowledgement of this article or an ongoing pledge, your support helps keep Cleveland's true free press free.