It is likely that only the most ardent of Christian music historians will remember the heavy metal group, Legacy. The mostly unheard-of band enjoyed brief airplay on Christian radio in the early '90s and had songs featured on the StarSong compilation albums Heavy Righteous Metal Chapter II and Brave New Music. On their new album, Gong Show, the group has re-emerged as Blame Lucy (short for "blame Lucifer"), having arrived at their new name by way of a contest held by a Columbus, Ohio, Christian radio station.
For their Gray Dot debut, the group nudges their heavy metal inclinations more towards a standard punk rock framework of simple chord structures and hook-laden choruses while adding a syncopated funk rock beat and heavily compressed guitars. The result sounds a bit like a combination of the Ramones, the Red Hot Chili Peppers, and any one of the copious number of late-'80s glam rock bands. But while this characteristic punk-metal-funk formula seems to be the group's bread and butter, they do vary the equation in at least a few points on the album. "Behind the Curtain," for instance, harks back to '60s-era pop with its ringing guitars and winsome vocals. And "Waikiki" and "Innerglow" both employ a megaphonic vocal effect with alternatingly clean and sludgy guitars to give those songs definite modern rock leanings.
For the majority of the songs, the group uses a fairly direct, unembellished lyrical style to put forth fairly common Christian themes, such as a person's relying on God's love to sustain them after the dissolution of a human relationship ("Lonesome") or the believer's ability to remain at ease despite life's frantic pace ("A Crawl"). But, while the straightforward lyrical style works well enough overall, the real lyrical pearls are those songs which opt for a humorous, slightly left field, approach to their otherwise serious subjects. "Gong Show" uses light-hearted harmonies and driving chord progressions for its comparison of an expelled contestant on the popular '70s game show of the same name to a Christian who speaks without love. And "Waikiki" exercises a similarly propulsive sound in its likening of heaven to a day at the beach.
All said and done, what puts Gong Show across so successfully is its refreshingly buoyant approach. What the music lacks in originality, it suitably compensates for with pure verve. And what the lyrics want in terms of depth, they most often make up for with cleverness and immediacy. To be fair, listeners seeking penetrating theological exposition or intricate musical arrangements on this release will probably be disappointed. But those wanting straight-ahead rock and roll music, impressive vocal work, and bold Christian statements will almost surely find what they're looking for here.
Other coverage for this album
HM Magazine #75Reviewed by Brian Vincent McGovernNot quite dated, these boys pack a punch, along the lines of, perhaps, a modernized Idle Cure, because of the smooth vocals and harmonies. But there's also a lighthearted urgency and rawness. In fact, the chorus of "Telecast" even suggests some punk influences. "Lonesome" is a very appealing track, with a catchy, mood-inspiring melody, and an overall cleanliness about it. This is followed by the…The Phantom Tollbooth 1998Reviewed by Josh SpencerA few years ago, exhausted by grunge's lengthy radio reign, it seemed many were once again proclaiming rock'n'roll to be dead. A new king was named: electronica. But if you turn on alt/rock radio or even Top 40 these days, you'll notice that the throne hasn't changed families just yet. The second or third generation grungers like Creed and Days of the New have joined grandpa Pearl Jam and tons of…Similar sounding releases
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