Ron Gallo has paid his dues. Touring with Spoon, Wilco, and Parquet Courts, Gallo's certainly got the experience and the chops. He's also got the attitude, as his punchy new one on Kill Rock Stars reveals.
Foreground Music kicks off with the speaker-shredding "Entitled Man", a punk-y bit of business, while the bracing "At Least I'm Dancing" marries smart lyrics with a punchy hook. At his best, Ron Gallo works up a fine frenzy with a dash or two of a big melody. "Anything But This", a real highlight here, is as catchy as anything from The Replacements, but it is shot through with a hint or two of early stuff, like Richard Hell and Jim Carroll. Gallo's real strength is how he's able to throw things together in a real DIY fashion, while not losing sight of some goals as a lyricist and vocalist. As such, Foreground Music retains the urgency of American punk, with the appeal of Eighties power pop.
Foreground Music by Ron Gallo is out now via Kill Rock Stars.
[Photo: Chiara D’Anzieri]