ALBUM REVIEW: Gypsum Greets Us With Their Debut Album
ALBUM REVIEW: Gypsum Greets Us With Their Debut Album
Words by: Meaghan MacDonald
LA post-rock trio Gypsum has released their debut album. The self-titled record boasts a mysterious, majestic sound that brings together psychedelic rock sprinkled with R&B components. Though only their debut album, the cohesiveness of Gypsum feels like that of a seasoned musician. Made up of vocalist Anna Arboles, vocalist Jessy Reed, and vocalist and guitarist Sapphire Jewell, they originally started as a weekly jam session, before becoming Gypsum.
The record opens with “Follow Me,” a guitar-rich track featuring lyrics that highlight the struggles of refugees throughout history. Previously released back in August as the leading single, “Follow Me” became the perfect introduction into the world of Gypsum.
“Follow Me” flows into the darker, more menacing track, “Lungs,” fueled by eerie lyrics. “Lungs” bleeds into “Gull Lake,” a gentler, reverb-filled song that feels a lot like the calm after the storm.
The album’s second single, “Give It” leads on as a purposeful moment at nearly the half way point. Centering around the idea of identity and self-determination, Jewell spoke about the theme, saying “As a queer person, I am constantly asked to answer for my identities and codify it for the comfort of other people’s understanding. There is a tension in the push, pull, and release of that experience, which I feel is manifested by the gravel of the riff that spills into the chord with all the extensions and then repeats.” Over a catchy guitar riff, vocalist Anna Arboles shines, capturing the tension of those conversations with lines like, “Filed down to the wire/Boiled down to my highest point/I found myself in a room full of mirrors/I don’t even know if I’m here.”
“Snow White” marks the official half way as a majestic song that strays away from the rest of the album. While a strong blend of many genres, it plays like a darker version of the children’s fairytale — a true Brothers Grimm moment. “Snow White” feels like the pinnacle of the album, where everything truly comes together. Yet, “Grafting,” returns to the reverb-heavy sound that is littered throughout the record. Paired with a psychedelic outro, “Grafting” marries the two sounds perfectly. With clever lyricism, the song compares trying to save a failing relationship to the grafting of plants.
“Grafting” fades into the darker “Kaleidoscope,” blending soft vocals with a hard-hitting, rock-heavy backing. The chorus is the song’s boiling point, where the build-up from the verses finally breaks free.
“Satisfied” returns to a lighter sound, complete with dreamy guitar riffs. When the bridge hits, the tempo steadily increases, turning the sound heavier in what is the album’s standout moment. Rounding out the album, the vocals pushed through on “Margaret” are delivered in the way of spoken-word. Musically, the song is reminiscent of Garbage’s “Stupid Girl.”
The album ends with the whimsical-sounding “Disappear.” One of the most powerful moments in the album is found on this song, when Arboles croons the words “I carved into the planets/ Proof of my claim/But even stars die/Even galaxies change.”
Only their first record, Gypsum is a seamless blend of genres. Lyrical guitar playing, powerful vocals, and clever lyrics combine to create an enjoyable listen, front to back.
