Los Raw Gospels are a three-piece outfit who have been in existence since February 2002. According to the press sheet that accompanied this EP, the band have picked elements of rockabilly, rock n roll, rhythm & blues, garage and punk, mixed it all together and attempted to come up with something new. It’s quite a bold claim, to be able to create something that stands out in this day and age. Do Los Raw Gospels have the songs to back up their claims?
Well, after leaving that question hanging through to a new paragraph, I’ll attempt to give an answer. No. There, that wasn’t hard was it? Now, I’m not dismissing this band that abruptly, as they are by no means a poor act. It’s just that despite the variety of styles that are attempted, they don’t come up with anything that hasn’t been heard before.
The band do wear their influences on their sleeves. They do mix things up, but they lean heavily towards the direction of bands like The Cramps and The Gories. In short Los Raw Gospels hit you with some driving rock and roll that sounds particularly meaty, despite the lack of a bassist. Title track ‘Desperate Blues’ gives an immediate impression of what the band are about. It’s a powerful, pounding song that grabs you instantly but is never quite coherent enough to take you where you want to go. ‘Tango De Meurto’ is the real disappointment on display. There is a Spanish influence to the Gospels, but that is no excuse for a song this bad. However, it is final track ‘Goin Down’ that best sums up the enigma of the Gospels. It is song that builds and builds, but, instead of climaxing spectacularly, just fades from memory.
The Los Raw Gospels don’t offer a great deal new to the music scene but they do show splashes of talent that hint at better times ahead. They do have a sound that could work very well; it’s just a shame that ‘Desperate Blues’ doesn’t contain the songs to do the band justice.
Mark