the GOSPEL TRUTH Jealous Fires (12XU - 2016)
It happens every year, no matter how much we prep: we always mistakenly leave a few behind. And so it goes (or went) on 12/31/16, when we omitted the Gospel Truth from our list of the ✰BEST REASONS TO WRITE FUCKIN’ RECORD REVIEWS IN 2016✰. Oy. It just so happens we were perusing the excellent (yes, I wrote ‘excellent’) 12/28/16 year-in-review broadcast by Paul Bruno on WFMU and we noticed that his #11 Album of 2016 was none other than Jealous Fires, which we’ve been playing regularly since it arrived back in late August. PALM TO FOREHEAD!
Mark Tonucci has been bellowing from the pulpit on behalf of The Gospel Truth since at least 2010, maybe earlier. His delivery is bullish and careening like the demagogue he probably is, commanding you to take the pill or send him money or worse. His band is a whip smart, restless, unhyphenated rock entity that collectively zig zag wanders all over the place like a flock of sharp eyed terror birds. Most songs open up at midpoint to race down a straightaway groove, and the entire experience is as invigorating as any on our list. Superb rock action all the way around.
