Listen to the new album from Charming to the Last!
Listen to the new album from Charming to the Last!

JFH Indie Review

JFH Indie Inspection Review

Dabster Gentlemen, Death or Life

Dabster Gentlemen
Death or Life

Street Date: November 17, 2018
Style: Folk / World / Jazz
Official Site: Official Website
Buy It: iTunes
Buy It: Amazon
Buy It: Google Play



In the 1980s, the rock music scene was dominated by a style of music affectionately known as “hair metal.” The genre’s reign even reached into Christian music, where you could find bands like Stryper, Whitecross, Petra, and Bride. Of course, Stryper is still active, and Bride releases new music from time to time, but the frontman of the latter, Dale Thompson, is also taking on a new venture in the form of Dabster Gentlemen. With the band’s debut album, Death or Life, Dabster Gentlemen is a far cry from the hair metal sound you might know Thompson for, as the project dives more into an eclectic world music sound. The vocals are unmistakable, but the music is comprised of an assortment of acoustic guitars, mandolins, organs, piano, and even the occasional trumpet, with some quiet bass and percussion to round it out. It's impossible to nail down a specific genre, because it’s actually a very diverse listen; while songs like “Animals” and “The Beat Rolls On” have some acoustic rock sensibilities, and “God’s Cemetery” could almost be mistaken for a Bride ballad, the album also dabbles in jazz, flamenco, country gospel, and folk. The musicianship is strong and the variety of sounds work really well together; I would probably very much enjoy listening to an instrumental version of this album. However, the mix of the music and Thompson’s particular style of vocals doesn’t work quite as well. Hair metal vocals sound fine in the context of loud, powerful arena rock, but they don’t necessarily mix well with other musical styles (except, perhaps, the power ballad). This is especially true when those vocals seem to be a little over-exaggerated, which usually doesn’t complement the instrumentation of this album. These Dabster Gentlemen are supremely talented and undoubtedly much more creative than this reviewer, but Death or Life might be too experimental to be appealing to anyone outside of a small, niche market.

- Review date: 2/7/19, written by Scott Fryberger of Jesusfreakhideout.com



(JFH Sponsor Spot)

StudioBook: Book Recording Sessions. Find studios and artists to work with.

 

 

. Record Label: None
. Album length: 12 tracks: 44 minutes and 25 seconds
. Street Date: November 17, 2018
. Buy It: iTunes

  1. Thick As Thieves (3:20)
  2. Animals (3:30)
  3. The Beat Rolls On (2:54)
  4. Rejoice (4:04)
  5. As Darkness Falls (3:54)
  6. No Signs of Life (3:46)
  7. The Odyssey (4:00)
  8. Have You Met the Man (3:16)
  9. God's Cemetery (3:53)
  10. When the Preacher Starts Preachin' (3:22)
  11. By the Spirit (4:34)
  12. Gone Like A Song (3:52)

 

 

 

go to main Indie review page
go to Indie Review Index

 

                 
StudioBook: Book Recording Sessions. Find studios and artists to work with.

Search JFH




This Friday, October 11, 2024
ALBUMS
Decayed Existence The Beginning Of Sorrows [Rottweiler]
Down East Boys Something To Shout About [Sonlite]
homage homage [Integrity]
lydi lynn Desert Dream - EP [Gotee]
Tamela Mann Live Breathe Fight [TillyMann]
Maverick City Music, Songhouse MAVHOUSE - EP [Tribl]
Ashtyn Michael Live At The Garden - EP [Integrity]
Shout Praises Kids Creo En Ti - EP [Integrity]
Ian Yates Kingdom [7 Core]
Darlene Zschech Testament [Integrity]

SINGLES
adamariz PROMO (ft. NOT KLYDE & Jericko) - Single [Syntax]
Jeremiah Bligen Remains - Single [Syntax]
Sam Bowman El Dorado - Single [DREAM]
Good Weather Forecast One More Time (Kings and Queens) - Single [DREAM]
Blessing Offor All Over The World - Single [Capitol CMG]
R.kitect Knuckle Up - Single (independent)
Relentless Pursuit War with the World (feat. Eric Castiglia) - Single (independent)
SNT. VINCENT MUERTOS (ft. Giovani & Arias) - Single [Syntax]

Next Friday, October 18, 2024
ALBUMS
Futures Altars - EP [DREAM]
Brandon Hixson Room with a View (independent)
Aodhan King Beyond Us [Capitol CMG]
Newsboys Worldwide Revival - Part II [Capitol CMG]

SINGLES
City Students Worship Outside Your Love - Single (independent)
Dreamers Adoration - Single [DREAM]
LO CLOUD Sleepwalker - Single (independent)
Jim "Soni" Sonefeld Light of Joy (Gloria) - Single [Vere]



For all release dates, click here!
 



Check out the new album from Taylor Holland Armstrong!



Listen to the new Album From Millennial Reign!

Check out depositphotos for royalty free images