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Sado-Domestics

Camouflage: Stories by T.J. Gerlach

Review by Gary Hill

The mix of sounds on this collection is intriguing. There is a lot of roots music here, but this also stretches toward art sounds and more. While there are more songs featuring female lead vocals than male, both are included, and there are some duets. All of the songs have lyrics that are inspired by short stories from the book "Camouflage" by T. J. Gerlach.

This review is available in book (paperback and hardcover) form in Music Street Journal: 2024  Volume 4. More information and purchase links can be found at: garyhillauthor.com/Music-Street-Journal-2024.

Track by Track Review
Dusk
There is a real art music vibe to this. It's set well in roots music, but it also works beyond that, too. There are hints of bluegrass, but overall I'd think of this as moody folk prog. It's also so cool.
Shale

With a male and female vocal duet, this is more straight-folk country. It's a balladic number that works pretty well. For me, it's a bit of a let down after that amazing opener, though.

Hands

With only the female vocals remaining, this is more of a country rocker. I really like the guitar solo on this a lot, and the whole tune works well. The closing movement suffers a little from being too repetitive.

Shades

Another built around a duet, the roots modes on this serve it so well. It's more of a balladic cut. It's also dramatic, powerful and a highlight of the set.

Phantom Punch

While I wouldn't quite call this a rocker, it's a little intensified from the level of the previous tune. It has a lot of down-home roots sound in the mix. It's slow moving, and another duet. It's also another standout.

Galaxy

Now, this comes in feeling more like a pop rock tune. We're back to just female vocals on this number. It's classy. It's also one of the most mainstream things here.

Love Letter, or Lepidoptery

Now, this rocker has some art music and alternative rock built into it. While this has both male and female vocals, the male ones are used in just a backing capacity. This is such a cool tune. In fact, it's one of my favorites here.

Corridor

I dig the echoey, Goth meets roots music angle to this track. The number is another with a lot of art music built into it. This is slow moving and classy. It's another standout.

Deep Blue

The male vocals are the lead ones on this. The track is a slow, old school country piece. It's solid and lends some variety, but it doesn't resonate with me as well as some of the others do.

Photographs

A bit more of a mainstream rocker, this still has some roots angles at play. It's a strong and catchy tune, but perhaps not a standout.

Everyone is from the Past

Dramatic bluegrass music mixed with art sounds is the basic concept here. The male vocals, more subdued this time, hold the lead position for most of the number. This has some cool slide guitar work. This is another that manages to stand taller than some of the rest.

Apocalypse

With male lead vocals, this is a solid rocker that has some real drama and retro texture built into it.

 
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