Review: Let's Get Away-Colin Giles

A few weeks ago Colin asked me what I thought of the album, heres what I had to say...(you may have read this before...more interviews and reviews lined up)

"OK I listened to it all the way through this morning. Starts off in a way I didn't expect, but it opened my ears and had my attention, and I can identify with allot of the lyrics. I really love the percussion on Cool Your Jets, which should be a tribute to David Hasslehoff(inside joke)When Go Get It came on, that funky, soulful sound made me turn up the volume and say "Yeah that's the way to do it, dang it!" That is one stand out track right there.

Gimme Gimme I expected to be good but it surpassed my expectations with Colin and Chris dueling on vocals. The rhythm and pace of that song got me boppin' my head instantly. I can go on and on about each song but I'll stick to the ones that really stuck out to where I can't wait to hear em' again. I will say that these stripped down versions of songs previously recorded with The Big Sound like 'Your On My Mind' and 'Theres Something About Her' were pleasantly surprising. I couldn't help but sing along to the beginning of 'Your On My Mind' and sing it the Big Sound Way with the pause "ON MY MIND", excellent work.

On the very top of my list for this album is 'Cecilia'. I can't get it outta my head! It's one of those songs that one can easily find themselves singing to some one they know. The feeling of the song tugs at my heart in a familiar bitter-sweet kinda way.

If anyone is reading this and they have not bought the cd yet, what are you waiting for?! This is a must have for any person who just loves music in general. It spans a variety of styles of music from folk to reggae, soul to rockabilly, and some how ties them all together harmoniously. You'll forget you even paid money for it!"

Interview with Colin Giles

"Surfer/Song Writer/Soul Seeker Colin Giles has been on the Los Angeles music scene for over 10 years. Currently playing with The L.A. All-star Revue, The Roundabouts, and The Big Sound (Stand So Tall, released in 2004), Colin is taking a new turn is his musical journey by currently releasing his debut solo album. It's an acoustic, stripped down, soul induced blend of hypnotic guitar rhythms and sweet vocal melodies. Music in its most simple and raw form, a man and his guitar. Colin is heavily influenced by American Soul and late 1960s Jamaican music. It's Plain, it's simple, it's raw, it's real. Almost anyday, you can find Colin on the beach, at Third Point Malibu, playing his guitar and singing a few songs."

Back in January of this year, I sat down to email "a bunch of questions"(Arnold Schwarzenegger voice) to Colin Giles and this is how it went...

Jan 19, 2007
Who are some of your main musical influences?

Colin: Main musical influences are: Ken Boothe, Desmond Dekker, Jackie Mittoo,
Sam Cooke, Delroy Wilson

Any current bands that you really dig and would recommend?
Colin: Some current bands... Hepcat, The Aggrolites & Lost In Los Angeles.

Let's settle this once and for all, how many myspace pages do you have?
Colin: I have only 1 myspace page. 1 for me, 1 for the Big Sound, and 1 for everything else..ha ha..

Pressure Drop: Which is is well in the hundreds!!

Everyone that knows you knows you surf, can you tell us a little about that part of your life?
How did you get started, and how involved are you?
Colin: Well, I started surfing from when I was about 13. I loved it and I knew thats what I wanted to do for the rest of my life. I grew up competing,and I still compete today as a professional.

Which bands have you performed with past and present?
Colin: I've performed with many bands.. The Channels, Colin & Kelly,
The Roundabouts, The Big Sound, The LA Allstar Revue, and even some cant remember the names of.

Other than Mouth Organ, which other instruments do you play in these
millions of bands?
Colin: I've played Piano, Organ, Trumpet, & Bass in some of
these bands...

How did The Big Sound come together?
Colin: The Big Sound came together over the phone. I was travelling in the southern hemisphere and I called Jake and Jim (Bass player and Drummer of The Big Sound) and we talked about starting up a band after I came home. When I came home, I helped Jake buy a bass, and that was that..

When can we expect to see a new album from The Big Sound?
Colin: We recorded over 20 songs about a year ago, but we weren't 100% happy with the way it came out, so we didn't release it. I'm hoping we're going to try again sometime this year.

Now tell us about this solo album you've been working on for so
long?
Colin: I've been wanting to do a solo album for quite sometime now. The idea of this solo album started in Summer '06, but didn't get rolling till late Autumn. The reality of it is, it only took 3 weeks to complete because of the simplicity of the songs.

What can we expect to hear on it?
Colin: Lately, I've been writing a lot of different kinds of songs.
I've have been liking the way they've turned out, so I wanted to put it out.
There are lots of different kinds of styles on there... from Rockabilly to
Rocksteady to Folk to Funk, and back again. There is a song for everyone. It has all been done with an acoustic guitar. Chris Murray is a special guest on the CD and one of the tracks, is a song that we wrote together.

What inspired you to do it?
Colin: The Inspiration was from a friend who heard me singing "Cecilia." He demanded that I record it. So, I though to myself... why not record a bunch of 'em?

Most importantly WHEN will it be released?!
Colin: It will be released in early Feb 2007. It will be available at CD Baby, and others.

So there you have it, the inside scoop from the man himself.
Make sure you pick up a copy of this new album Let's Get Away on CD or on ITunes

For more info check out these great sites...

The Big Sound
Colin Giles on Myspace