Greg Georgeson 100 % By Volume
by Derric Miller
Staff Writer
Classic Rock guitarist, founder of the band Sequel and also lead guitarist for Tommy Tutone (yeah, he’s a busy dude) Greg Georgeson has released his debut solo album called 100 % By Volume. While known for his guitar prowess, Georgeson also handles bass, mandolin, harmonica, percussion, keyboards and lead vocals as well on his solo effort, truly making this “his” release.
And what do you learn from Georgeson? You automatically learn that perchance “100 Proof By Volume” would be a more apropos title, because damn near every song is a “drinking” song, about getting your heart broken because your girl falls out of love with you; she cheats on you; you become strangers to each other; you waited too long to get her back and now she’s moved on; or you are pining away, praying for a second chance. Sounds uplifting, right? Luckily, Georgeson tempers the message with Tom Petty/Todd Snider like Classic/Folk/Blues Rock ‘n’ Roll; who says you can’t laugh when you are crying and drinking?
The CD opens with “Take It Or Leave It,” a mainstream, almost ’80s sounding pop hit. Georgeson’s vocals are pretty much in the same vein as the aforementioned artists (Petty and Snider), and hell, even Tommy Tutone. He understands his limited range and never strives for an unattainable high note. Instead, his warm, rich and slightly bluesy style fits his songs perfectly. The way he plucks the notes on the solo creates a fat, mammoth sound, which he deftly flows into the downtuned opening riff. The message here is, well, a guy telling a girl he ain’t changing, so take him or leave him.
The strangest guitar riff on the entire CD is on “Long After You’ve Gone.” It sounds like Nirvana; seriously, it sounds like a downtuned, gloomy, devastated Kurt Cobain composition, in parts. Suddenly, the major keys take over after the opening verse, sort of, and things lighten up … majorly. “Everybody tells me that it’s wrong to love you, long after you’ve gone, but I do.” If this means she broke up with him, it makes sense. If it means she died, well, thus the Nirvana-like riff.
“Nothing in Common” is basically the theme to about 50 percent of marriages (by volume, heh heh). Lyrically, Georgeson tells the tale of a couple who used to live for each other, but now, have nothing in common but the place they share. His vocals may be the strongest on the entire release on this track, and he does that thing he does, singing a sad song in a quasi-happy way.
The harmonica comes out blazing on “This Town,” almost a New Country song. You know, something Bon Jovi would be envious of. In Westerns, men used to call each other out with guns drawn, snarling, “This town ain’t big enough for the both of us,” and shoot each other. Georgeson, instead, sings about a guy seeing his girl out with another guy, so he runs out of town. Talk about a downtrodden, beat-down, bad luck SOB—hopefully this isn’t the same character in each song …
The one time the good guy wins on the release is “I’ll Never Let You Down.” Although the New Country and slower songs are worthy, when Georgeson cranks it up a notch, plays a little faster and sings with a bit of an edge is when he is most memorable. With the “nah nah nah nahs” and Tom Petty-like vocal refrains, he saved the best for last.
Actually, second to last, because “Skaghetti” is an instrumental, and is almost Bluegrass/Pop, like a Chris Isaak song.
Georgeson didn’t branch too far out from what he knows, but at the same time, this isn’t comparable to Sequel or Tommy Tutone. At the end of the day, it’s all Rock ‘n’ Roll, and Georgeson nails it, 100 percent.
Online: Official site
Track listing:
1 Take It or Leave It
2 The Girl Gets Around
3 Long After You’ve Gone
4 When You’re Ready
5 Nothing in Common
6 Too Little Too Late
7 Second Chance
8 This Town
9 Make You Mine
10 I’ll Never Let You Down
11 Skaghetti
HRH Rating: 7.8/10