Search - James Ray :: Best of the Performance

James Ray's Gangwar - the early years

call me The Avi | "In my dreams I live in California......" | 03/05/2006

(4 out of 5 stars)

"This Best Of CD is actually two previous Gangwar releases:

1989's "A New Kind Of Assassin" (tracks 1-5), and the 1992 release "Dios Esta De Nuestro Lado" (tracks 6-14). It's probably best described as rock music with industrial overtones. The one different track is "Edie Sedgewick",

which is slow and sparse - some programed drums, synth sounds, and James Ray's whispered lyrics. There's obvious parallels between Gangwar's music and the Sisters of Mercy: the drum programming, the guitar licks, and James Ray's vocal delivery. Some of the tracks here also remind me of Peter Hook's project Revenge. Nevertheless, Gangwar's work easily stands on its own. This is a great CD, and well worth listening to -- if you can find it."

James Ray - 'Best Of Performance&Gangwar'(Fifth Colvmn)

Mike Reed | USA | 12/12/2004

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Not sure,but I believe the track listing above may be incorrect.The copy I have has fourteen cuts and features one-time vocalist Andrew Eldrich of Sisters Of Mercy.The first two cuts did nothing for me,but the remaining twelve,look out!I was blown away by the heavy-drone like guitar work on "Rev Rev Lowrider" and "Heart Surgery".Other worthy tunes are the remix of "Mountain Voices","Badlands" and "Bad Gin".Good industrial.'Best Of...' just might be one of the best ever releases put out by the label,Fifth Colvmn."