Two Gallants
What The Toll Tells

THE REVIEW

I was a bit surprised when I noticed that there was not even a trace of this "What The Toll Tells" in the site's archive. To be honest, I was even more surprised not to find any works by the band in question. So why not try writing a review? From their first album, Two Gallants hinted that they had grown up on bread and folk, but with this second album from 2006, they perform the miracle of creating a formidable record.
Unlike their debut (The Throes) where the songs lasted around 4 minutes, the young Californian duo chooses to be bold, including 9 songs for a total duration of about an hour. From the initial "Las Cruces Jail", the listener is inexorably transported to Western atmospheres à la Sergio Leone: indeed, a rustling accompanies a sad guitar arpeggio, and it is immediately clear how evocative their music is. But after just over a minute, something unexpected happens: the pace accelerates and the track becomes truly irresistible. The subsequent "Steady 'Rollin" and the fifth track "The Prodigal Son" have the merit of turning out to be catchy and delightful tracks. However, the backbone of the album is made up of the long tracks, those in which the spirit of Dylan hovers, the storyteller par excellence: "Age Of Assassins", "Some Slender Rest", and especially the concluding "Waves of Grain" with an applause-worthy crescendo and a chilling vocal performance by Stephens. A separate chapter is deservedly given to "16th. St Dozen", which sets itself apart with a noisier and faster approach.

While waiting to enjoy their latest already-released work, one can only wonder how these two talented guys don't have the visibility they deserve. But who knows, maybe it's better this way.