Album review: Buke & Gase “Genral Dome”

text: Max Jones

In the modern era, the one in which overproduced pop music floods the airwaves, one way for a band to distinguish itself is through a lo-fi approach.

It is a risky path that many undertake but few succeed at, due to the razor thin line between “raw power” and “amateur hour.” Buke & Gase certainly lean toward the former, yet their album General Dome is subtle, understated, and will rock your face off.

At first listen it’s impossible to ignore the fact that the album was most likely recorded in a basement or garage, but the sophisticated arrangements and song structure make it easy to look past that fact.  The lyrics of Arone Dyer will not shatter the earth nor break any ground, but his vocalization of those lyrics is something to behold. It contains the pure emotion of an angsty teenager without any of the whiny bullshit that can plague some post-punk outfits.

Aron Sanchez’s veteran instrumentation also helps avoid said bullshit, and the listener can tell that Buke & Gase isn’t striving to make pretty music, just real music.

If you’re into any of the early Black Keys stuff (‘Stackshot Billy’, ‘Girl is on My Mind’,  etc.) or anything that Spoon has done, Buke & Gase will be right in your wheelhouse. It’s rock and roll for the people, by the people, but instead of using the normal guitars and drums, they use Baroque Ukeleles (Bukes) and half-guitar half-bass (Gases). Alright, maybe there is one thing about these guys that’s overproduced.

The album is out January 29, 2013