Clips and Quotes
Gillen & Turk's "Backs to the Wall"
well crafted and filled with hope -- WITH MUSIC
Well-executed harmonies can be transforming, and the duo Gillen & Turk inherently knows that.
The Hudson Valley's Fred Gillen Jr. and Matt Turk have put together a CD of not only finely crafted songs sung well, but filled with hope. They've put their time in - underground for the MTA in Manhattan, as well as at Pete Seeger's "Circle of Song" tent at the Great Clearwater Music and Arts Festival.
Former solo artists, Gillen and Turk combined their efforts with spectacular results. An alt-country cosmic cowboy sound is revealed in the 12 tracks here, from the open air "These Nameless Streets," the sunny Grateful Dead-like vibe of "It Really Matters," the urgent, politically charged "Black Hills" and the free-flowing "Come Away With Me."
"Peace Rant" recalls early Dylan in more ways than one, while "Killing Machine" has an almost Clash-like anxiety.
This work is not frivolous love songs, but topical and thought-provoking tunes, like the music we loved years ago.
A moving first effort by a promising pair.
The World According to Wawrzyniak
GILLEN & TURK - Backs to the Wall
Tuneful and lulling, with a nice folksy pop-rock sound and equally engaging reflective sensibility to it, this album automatically wins the listener over on the basis of its gently melodic quality alone. Fred Gillen Jr. and Matt Turk harmonize beautifully well together on the lead vocals; their two voices blend seamlessly into a lovely and arresting whole that’s an absolute pleasure to hear. Moreover, these two New York City-based guys are very fine and thoughtful songwriters. Whether it’s the sweet charm of the opening track “These Nameless Streets,” or the bubbly vitality of the bouncy “It Really Matters,” this album delivers one delightful song after another. Some songs rock a bit harder than others (“Fall Down” in particular has a strong socking beat to it), but every last one hits the pleasingly dulcet spot just the same. A wonderfully radiant little gem.
Joe Wawrzyniak, Jersey Beat
"Backs to the Wall is an eclectic mix of the familiar and the slightly exotic. Reminiscent of great musicians like Bob Dylan and the Beatles, Gillen & Turk are both poets and political commentators, and their statements are framed by top-notch playing and original instrumentation." Read the entire article here Laid back folk rockers with soulful songwriting, beautiful harmonies and skillful guitar (and sometimes mandolin) finesse.
Singin' some social commentary
Fred Gillen and Matt Turk sing folk music that rests on commitment. They sing a lot of social-commentary songs. They're young, but their politics are those of the first generation of politicized folk singers. The music needs no apology, they're fine musicians.
About Gillen & Turk, Richard Cucarro says "Two folk-rock musicians had travelled almost parallel paths to arrive at the same destination. Their rafter-raising shout-outs for peace and social justice combine influences from Woody Guthrie and Pete Seeger. How they got there speaks to their foundations, their integrity and their gritty determination as well as their talent." BY MATT SARTWELL
THE JOURNAL NEWS
Tuesday, October 16, 2007
read the entire article here.
BY JAMES O'ROURKE FOR THE JOURNAL NEWS
Friday, April 6, 2007
"To say that Turk's music has one distinctive feel would be
impossible. At times his music is highly introspective and folksy,
yet for the most part, his tunes are well-crafted rock songs that are
impossible not to relate to on some level." Read more here.
"Gillen's music has an earthy, straw-like smell for your ears. It has the grazing touch of a brick wall against the back of your hand. It has very ball- point- pen- on- blue- lined- paper written lyrics. It is honest and quirky."
-- Craig Gilbert, New Haven Advocate