Ron Gallo - "Peacemeal"
Ron Gallo is not an old dog just yet, so he’s definitely open to learning some new tricks. That much is clear when listening to his new record, PEACEMEAL, which is out today via New West Records. The Philadelphia-based musician trafficked in garage rock and post-punk on his first two albums, and now, he’s sharing something quite adventurous, colorful, and frankly, impossible to pigeonhole. Drawing inspiration from a more eclectic variety of sonic influences including jazz, hip-hop, and pop, Gallo is truly branching out and freeing himself from the confines of any preconceived notions of what a “Ron Gallo record” should sound like.
Gallo wrote and recorded Peacemeal during a three-month period of self-isolation, and the songs on the record provide a glimpse into his mindset, with moods ranging from bright and hopeful to dark and downtrodden. While glistening tracks like “Home” and “You Are Enough” are bouncy enough to soundtrack a sunny afternoon stroll, and the uplifting R&B influenced “You Are Enough” is certainly overflowing with good vibes, several others like “Can We Still Be Friends” and “Wunday (I Go Crazy After Dark)” set a darker instrumental tone, and lyrically, build off of the disillusionment with the music industry that Gallo explored on his Pretty Nice Guys EP. The former, in particular, can be summed up with a very pointed lyric: “Can we still be friends, now that I can’t help you?” Gallo has a bluntness to his words that really resonates.
Similar themes work their way into “Saturday” Parts I and II, which capture the glum feelings of loneliness through a minimalist approach that features sing-speak vocals and a simple backing beat. Here, Gallo describes a stream of conscious fantasy where he attempts to alleviate his feelings of loneliness by socializing with his “favorite singer.” However, the pleasantness of this daydream is short-lived, as the interaction he envisions quickly devolves into one of those superficial, industry-specific interactions that he loathes, and thus, he’s back to square one, preferring to be by himself. It’s a bare-bones track that gives the listener some insight into how the mind works when you’ve had minimal social interaction over an extended period of time.
Simplicity is also a big strength at other points on the album, as it allows Gallo to viscerally express very raw feelings without the veneer of pretentiousness. “Please Don’t Die” is a perfect example of this, as he describes the very real fear of loss that accompanies falling deeply in love with someone, and rather than watering down these feelings with flowery language, his directness in explaining it hits the mark.
In a nod to the clusterfuck that was 2020, Gallo ends the record with an updated version of “All The Punks Are Domesticated,” a song that originally appeared as the album closer on 2017’s Heavy Meta. After realizing that his dystopian lyrics turned out to be quite prescient, he decided to add a new verse (and a killer sax) to address many of the issues of the day, including police violence and the pandemic. It’s a fitting way to put a bow on PEACEMEAL, which through its fluctuating moods, tones, and musical styles, is reflective of the times we’re currently living through.
You can order PEACEMEAL on limited edition green vinyl via Bandcamp. The album is also available on all streaming platforms. Keep up with Gallo by following him on Instagram and liking him on Facebook. Stay tuned, as Ron is next week’s guest on the Look At My Records! podcast.
