There is one problem that listeners will have with “Come Alive,” an EP by alternative rock group The Gallery, and one problem only: It’s too short.
Other than that, “Come Alive” is a nearly flawless 20 minutes of alternative rock, with a hint of a Southern sound to it. Great hooks, excellent guitar work and smart song writing combine to make it a memorable listen.
The EP starts off strong with “Catalyst,” a song about a lover who came and went all too quickly and did some damage as a result: “Oh you lit me up like a cigarette / Then you burned me down, now there’s nothing left.”
There’s a wry sense of pain in lead vocalist Brendan Cooney’s voice that pervades this song and the album as a whole, and when it’s combined with extremely catchy riffs and choruses, the result is something special.
Though “Catalyst” sets the bar for the rest of the EP, “Ballroom of Broken Hearts” manages to top its predecessor. The song begins with a faint, classic rock-ish riff before amping up for the rest of the song. This song also channels pain but tempers it with the comfort of enduring pain along with someone else.
The imagery of a ballroom of broken hearts is especially poignant: “When she promenades into the dark / I let her run (because) she never gets far / Til she turns around into my arms / And we’re dancing in a ballroom of our broken hearts.”
“Who’s In the Right,” which has the feel of a rock-esque waltz, could be interpreted in a couple of ways, either as the story of the turbulent decline of a relationship or as a commentary on foreign relations. Either way, the lyrics are poignant: “We’ll drop bombs all day and night / To show who’s in the wrong and who’s in the right.”
“Last Goodbye” starts, like every other song on the album, with a great guitar hook and features heart-wrenching lyrics about infidelity: “But I caught you staring in the eyes of someone else / And now you’re leaving for the dark side of yourself.”
The album closes out with “Free,” a more upbeat tune about love’s ability to shepherd people through stormy times. It’s a wonderful final song and concludes an EP that does everything right. Even the “problem” of the EP being too short can be solved: Listeners will just have to listen twice in a row.
“Stuff from the Shelf” is a Spotlight blog series in which Daily Bruin A&E reviews the albums and games that have been sent to us for review over the years.