CD Review

Two Gallants hit the nail on the head with What the Toll Tells. Their second full-length album is chocked full of brutal yet comical stories. “Las Cruces Jail” starts the album off, and mixes the vibrant youth of the Black Keys with the lyricism of Johnny Cash. It is a robust track with powerful drums and grunge filled vocals. Adam Stephens’ guitar work is appropriate throughout the whole album, always creating a big full sound, however never seeming over played. With simplicity they hit on a country subtleness, and marry it with punk infused lyrics.

Morphing into a different monster “Some Slender Rest” travels down a lazy dirt road with brushed drums and airy guitar. Creating a totally unique version of the ballad, that leaves the listener waiting on edge for the gutsy band to explode back into rage. However the song never erupts, rather it stays subtle and exposed. What the Toll Tells speaks through an old voice familiar to pain and suffering, however it tells of the dark, evilness in today’s times.