ALBUM REVIEW: We Don’t Like The People We’ve Become – Gallus

Scottish punk rockers GALLUS bring their signature style of indie rock hooks, rogue punk attitude and dark sense of Glaswegian humour on their debut album We Don’t Like The People We’ve Become. Having already been crowned best rock/alternative act at the Scottish music awards, these guys are ready to show just why.

Moderation kicks off heavily and doesn’t really let up. It’s all about the highs of no moderation and then crashing back down back into reality. The guitars are fast and drive the song whilst the vocals aren’t really melodic but more sort of in-your-face. It perfectly captures the carefree image this album is all about. Fruitflies emphasizes this with a feel-good hook from the guitars and this time the vocals are a lot lazier and more laid back. The guitar riffs are still a little complex but fit with the track all the same, while the bass mostly drives things throughout the verses.

Eye To Eye is infectious and full of nervous energy. It’s about self-medication and going insane among other things and it’s great. The instruments create a more chaotic feeling in this track, going from one section to the other with no restraint. It’s messy and cathartic but this just adds to how great the track is. Basic Instinct is heavy and holds up the punk image that these guys have clearly created for themselves. It’s a simple track and the vocals seem a little reminiscent of BLINK-182 except with a brittle Scottish accent. It’s full of energy that soars in the chorus whilst it’s more restrained in the verses giving it a simple yet effective structure. Sometimes the basics are best. It seems to be saying that you can’t please everyone, so don’t try, although that could be open to interpretation.

Going Numb is a frantic track that feels very off-kilter yet hectic with the use of guitar and bass that feature the most throughout the song creating a barely held-together texture. The vocals are almost pleading and seem a little panicked in a way that reflects the song perfectly. Are You Finished then flips the script as it’s super heavy and the vocals are strong and defiant. It sounds reminiscent of 00s post-punk. The guitar parts on this track are great as they employ a lot of effects and create a very punk feel whilst also using straight-up single chords and palm mutes like they’re trying to throw a bit of everything in there and it still works. The talent on display in this track is undeniable.

Mr. Nothing starts with acoustics making it seem like they’re slowing down until the rest of the band kicks in and a dreamlike fuzzy feel is created. The vocals are more relaxed and make the track more like some dream pop. The guitar effects are great here as an acoustic guitar plays off the electric with reverb. It shouldn’t really work but it does. Closer Sickness And Health is one of the band’s most honest tracks as they sing about not liking the people they’ve become. It’s very self-reflective but it’s not necessarily a self-loathing track as the instruments have a feel-good rhythm and it sounds very rock fuelled and like things aren’t great, but that’s ok. It all ends too quickly with the words “We don’t like the people we’ve become.”

One of the most surprising things about this album is that it’s a debut. It sounds like these guys have been around for ages and spent that time defining their sound but that’s not the case. Sure, they’ve put the time and effort in but they’re still a young band with a bright future ahead of them. GALLUS are just getting started.

Rating: 8/10

We Don’t Like The People We’ve Become is set for release on June 9th via Marshall Records.

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