Gay Dad Transmission PT.1 CD - Import

For a basic guitar-bass-drums trio, Gay Dad spices up its music with plenty of alluring extras on TRANSMISSION. While the focus of the band's sound is guitar-based Britpop, they add (with the help of producer Ben Chapman) plenty of zippy synth lines and electronic effects that not only fill out the sound but expand it to reach a level beyond that of their ostensible peers. Nevertheless, TRANSMISSION isn't exactly DIG YOUR OWN HOLE; rippling acoustic and bold electric guitars abound, framing ringing vocal harmonies and a bevy of catchy choruses. Most of the album is given over to driving (and driven) rockers, but Gay Dad still finds time for the occasional balladic detour, as on the gentle "All My Life." TRANSMISSION closes on an agreeably left-field note, however, with the trashcan vocals, crazed guitars, and frenzied breakbeats of "Promise of A Miracle" (don't confuse it with the similarly titled Simple Minds tune).

UK single & title track taken from the indie act's 2001 album, 'Transmission'. Tracks 'Transmission', 'Art Since 1978' & 'Dead Man'.

Additional personnel includes: James Risebero (keyboards).

Engineers: Mark Frith, Roger Tebutt, Fulton Dingley.

Gay Dad: Cliff Jones (vocals, guitar); Nigel Hoyle (bass); Nicholas Crowe (drums).

Entertainment Weekly (5/3/02, p.86) - "...Gay Dad's glam-Bowie reinventions [culminate] midway in the pop-rock nuggetry..." - Rating: B
CMJ (4/22/02, p.13) - "...A 12-pack of...spacy-snotty-slick glam rock..."