A Review of God Save the Gun

 A Review of God Save the Gun  

Band: Galindo, Cerrato, and Shea  

Review Written by: Brianna Chay  

There are many steps one must take when assessing anything - whether it is a  song, a record, a movie, or any form of art. If it is music, (like our case here!) one  might pivot to only observing the sound - however, there are more elements to the  whole picture than what meets the ear. Some of these include, but are not limited to:  titling, artist background, song background, and album art.  

So, let's begin assessing this piece by looking over the first element on our list - the  title. Our piece here, courtesy of Galindo, Cerrato, and Shea, bears the name of "God  Save the Gun".  

When I read the title, I do admit - the first thing I can think of is pro-gun rights, or the  worship of the aforementioned firearm. But I mustn’t jump to a conclusion - titles can  be misleading, or sarcastic, or even unrelated.  

A prime example of such case is "Tapioca Tundra" by Nike Nesmith - a song about  how authorship over something is not in our realm anymore once we share it with the  public - it then becomes a figment of whatever they would like to apply upon it.  Nesmith chose the idiosyncratic titling because his wife, Phillis Nesmith, was learned  and well-versed in language arts, whilst he had been unable to read during his  formative years. He wanted to impress her - feel smarter than her, in some way.  

There's a case of alternate titling.  

In no way am I saying that this record follows through with the same procedure - all  that I'm stating is that sometimes, the title doesn't tell us all, or doesn't let us in, to the  bigger picture. 

As for artist background - it was provided to me that Matt Cerrato, the drummer on  this track, was friends with Galindo since the age of fourteen - if nothing else, it shows  that they must be in-tune at the time of the recording, as they had endured much time  together. As for the Shea side of the equation - John Shea produced it.  

The aforementioned Galindo is an artist in his own right, creating music with self penned lyrics that have proven to be quite powerful.  

As an industry veteran, he is quite literally familiar with the process - he's had many  years of experience under his belt, and has spent an impressive amount of time with  fellow musicians.  

Regarding song background, the featured song was written in 1981, after John  Lennon, of the Beatles, was brutally murdered at the age of 40. However, this song  was not recorded until the year 2012, which gives the impression it dwelled as a rent free idea until it was given the water it needed to blossom.  

It has also been noted, beforehand, that this is a gun control song, with an air of  sarcasm - which we shall assess shortly.  

Let's get onto the album cover - a darker cover with slight tinting, a nice semi-hued  overhang of featured figures, which seem to be the band members, and a partially  transparent printing of what appears to be Galindo.  

I'm immensely fond of the layering and the pixelation - it has that darker edge to it,  whilst keeping the image grounded and mysterious. Mystery is always a good aspect  to feature in one's work, as it serves to intrigue and hook the beholder, who then  becomes listener - as, the first thing you see before listening to the record, is, well, the  record in itself.  

The 4 minute and 55 second song begins with a declaration - clear, with the noises of  a crowd. The enunciation of Lennon's death - the gunshots - the death on arrival.  

And suddenly, as fast as we arrive, we are propelled into a lovely, hazy dream. 

I was wearing stereo headphones as I felt the panned oscillations - "gun, gun, gun" -  the prophecy ringing clearly. Masterful studio efforts surely had to be taken - there is  nothing quite like the feeling of experiencing music shooting, darting, from on ear to  

the other. One of my favorite tracks, by a band called the Left Banke (who Galindo had  experience with) implements something similar, but more grueling, grinding, and  lengthy, on a track titled: "There's Gonna Be A Storm".  

A sitar-like dream, reminiscent of "Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds" takes over, floating  the listener and preparing you for whatever comes next.  

Very psychedelic - and I'm obsessed with anything psychedelic.  

Very experimental - and I LOVE anything experimental.  

This song hits the sweet spot, so I'm biased as to where this is going (in all positivity!)  

There's a slow solo-ing with punchy drums, which grants us a tied-down, keep the  listener present, effect.  

Every bit or so, there's a voice - an echoing voice - perhaps a voice which was  recorded in a room providing reverb, or had a filter, or used a megaphone.... I don't  know. But what I do know is that the voice cuts through the direct, resonant, and  spine-tingling beat to interrupt the moment and send your attention span soaring.  

A steady, addictive riff hides and pokes from behind "on Christmas day" - jumping out  to ease your senses.  

The rhyming is so aesthetically pleasing to one's ears, as a tapestry of words is woven  - "must've cost a milli-on".... then complimenting "anyone"....  

The melody stands next to the greats - the split, escaping stems augmenting the  Dylanesque organ and proving itself to be as remarkable as the works of rock band  Vanilla Fudge. 

The instrument that is on string soloing packs a punch, as the organ chords really  push into my soul, another news segment cracking me into reality and truly cementing  the position of sarcasm featured in this song.  

Tremendous care must have been taken in the crafting of this piece - a masterpiece  this songwriting is, I tell you. It is certainly mind-boggling for me to hear something so  swirling - so Beatle-like - proceeding from 2012.  

Surely, without a doubt, it seems someone should have pitched this to Jefferson  Airplane - the word "fantastic" surely does not do this song justice.  

Satisfying - that's the word.  

Powerful vocals fly around the 2 minute and 46 second mark - ear candy. Pure ear  candy.  

Ha! Jingle bells emerge as I realize the association between them and the phrase:  "Christmas day".  

That move is genius, I tell you.  

The hollowness of the vocals and dissipation provide an emptiness - another highlight  to the sarcasm, as the singer rips through these sentences in obvious satire.  

3:36  

YES. YES. JUST. YES.  

I tend not to err from professionalism when assessing a record, but for this song.... I'm  digressing and I will say with all colloquialism - Oh. My. Word.  

We finally reach a climax, during which a left voice is lower, complementing and  raising rhe right one, as emotion melds and becomes homogenous with the build-up  we've been partaking in.  

Please, gimme another dose of this. 

Overlapping vocals?  

Informally - Chef's kiss.  

A bridge of "OOOOs" glides into the chorus again, as another news segment layers  harmoniously.  

And then, like the Monkees HEAD (1968), we end where we have begun.  

Thumbs up from my side.  

It was an immensely engaging and pleasing experience - I do admit.  

I think this record has much, much potential. I've been taught that with every review, I  must suggest improvement, but to be honest, the structure of the song, in itself, has  nothing which needs to be changed.  

Perhaps execution-wise, if it were fed through a studio sound, it would be more  appealing to the public, and would certainly become viral and popular if promoted  adequately.  

But from my end - from composition - from start to finish - from every note and chord  - it astonishes me. The news snippets certainly were skillfully placed.  

So, the semi-final comment placed aside, I rate this as a solid piece - 10 / 10