Gallows- "Just Because You Sleep Next To Me Doesn't Mean Your Safe" review at Godisinthetv

Hurrah! God Is In The TV took time out from bombarding me with press releases to write up to stick up my review of London punk band Gallow's new single. Have a gander below or, even better, go on the site yourself and join in the zine fun! And it is fun, ho yes!


Gallows - Just Because You Sleep Next To Me Doesn’t Mean Your Safe (Black Envelope Records)
Simon Jay Catling

With Gallows front man Frank Carter ending 2007 as NME’s Coolest Person on the Planet (make of that what you will,) its fair to say the thrash punk rockers have hit a meteoric rise that has surpassed even their own expectations. The band stormed the European festival circuit last summer and their debut album, Orchestra Of Wolves, was a startling success. Clearly eager to keep the gravy train running, the release of Just Because.. is the third single release off an album that was originally released some eighteen months ago. Necessary? I would argue that this, coupled with the forthcoming release of a live DVD could be deemed a most un-punk thing to do; but then even Johnny Rotten seems to milk the cash cow these days, leading a reformed and re-hashed Sex Pistols around the country in order to line his pockets. This just goes to show that for all its bravado and angry anti-establishmentarianism, Punk was in fact no more immune to the pull of capitalism than any other musical genre, and that Gallows are further proof of this. Or maybe, I’m just reading a bit too much into it all. Either way this release feels a bit unnecessary- more so because it’s not even one of the stronger tracks from their hugely lauded Orchestra Of Wolves album. Previous single In The Belly Of A Shark (recently expertly remixed by ex Cooper Temple Clause man Tom Bellamy by the way,) cut the perfect line between hardcore punk and chart bothering appeal. This in comparison seems plain dull; it acts as filler within the album so how can it possibly do justice as a single? Coming in with a shotgun guitar entrance Carter as usual expends his rage in tired cliché, howling “put all my memories/In an envelope/Then set it on fire/Then send it straight to you” as he plots a plan of torture and pain on a previously loved figure. There’s a nice little call and response bit halfway through and Laurant Bernard and Steph Carter’s guitars battle furiously with each other throughout, but really, if you know Gallows then you know this is pretty much standard fare and it’s missing the clarion call to arms of Orchestra Of Wolves or the instant stomach-winding impact of Abandon Ship. There’s no doubting Gallows are a potentially quality act and, with a succession of large scale UK Tour dates coming up, their star looks like it’s going to burn ever more brightly. But please, after this let’s move on shall we? Gallows Myspace

Gallows- Just Because You Sleep Next To Me Doesn't Mean Your Safe