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Screaming Superego - Album Review
 

Hi Guys,

Tracie suggested that I should send an e mail with my comments re "Screaming Superego" when I bought the album after seeing your gig at The Riga Music Club.

First of all I enjoyed the gig, particularly when one considers that virtually all the material was new (from the album) and that most of the audience were (like me) Eddie & the Hot Rod fans.

So I looked forward to listening to Screaming Superego and I was not disappointed, you have made a very very good album and all involved ought to be patting themselves on the back. This is an excellent £12 worth.

Every song has something to offer and I am sure the track sequencing has been thought through very carefully, indeed this is a carefully crafted album. I my opinion these songs work extremely well grouped together. The first three tracks; I Swear, See You Again and Broken compliment each other, the lyrics tackle difficult subjects (particularly See You Again) and deliver the message with great feeling. The opening track I Swear sets the tone for the album with an upbeat positive tempo. After the opening tracks Save Me kicks in with a chorus any audience could sing along to and builds to a great crescendo. By the time the listener gets to the big band sound of Shame one begins to wonder what can possibly follow and then Ghost comes along with just Tracie and a keyboard, reducing the tempo whilst increasing the sensitivity - a nice breathing space at this juncture and a platform for the final three tracks. What follows is tell Me Why, Baby Come Back and Now I'm Gone every track demanding the listeners attention. Keep this up and there'll be enough material for a tribute band in ten years time - God forbid - only joking.

The musicianship is quality, a kind of competitive harmony seems to develop, the boundaries of the band are tested and not found wanting, there is more to come I'm sure. As for the production and mixing you said during the gig that some time was spent perfecting the sound. Obviously I can only comment on the finished article (as opposed to comparing other mixes) but sonically the sound is great, excellent balance between all the players and vocals. For me a good example is comparing keyboards on Shame - where for large parts of the track the keyboards are quite low in the mix only for the instrument the emerge on the very next track to take the lead in Ghost, there are lots of lovely touches like this throughout the album.

Tracie's vocals also intrigued me as a listener, the delivery of these songs is very good the vocal is a conduit for the passion that is injected into the song making the whole experience believable. However I would have liked the inlay card to include the lyrics.

In closing all can add is that when you deliver this album live, have no fear, don't hold back, deliver your new material with the knowledge and confidence that you have a good set, let em have it.

Good Luck

Dave "Chilli" Palmer (June 2009)

Packed through with heartfelt lyrics and mood shaping music, the Tracie Hunter band are tight and very good with an intuitive use of their instruments to complement the mood of the lyrics. Tracies vocals are not only

expressive but she has a great range that brings out the best in the songs, the album leads of with a mood shaping song 'Like you' and continues the theme with 'If this is all' once set the album holds the moment

throughout all eleven songs. 'Race' is a great album.

Ray Zell, Kerrang!

This full length debut has been a very long time coming, but has very much been worth the wait.
Tracie's voice is as breathy, husky, smoky, and hauntingly soulful as ever, while the instrumental heart and soul of the band resides in the brothers Gabbitas, Neil (guitars) and Mel (Bass) respectively.

The siblings turn in incendiary performances, with guitarist Matt Pearce (new boy) and Steve Washington both performing with languid aplomb, and the overall effect is stunning. What does let the package down a tad is the production, which could be sharper & brighter, but given the budget involved, and the fact that the album is self produced, the fact that it sounds this good is a testament to the band's skill and determination.

I can't find a weak link amongst the 11 songs found on "Race", all are newly recorded-there's nothing poached off the band's earlier EP, and at long last we finally get a recorded version of Tracie's anthemic and crowd pleasing "Astoria Morning", always a thriller when the band end their live set with it. We're only in February, yet in "Race", i've found another contender for my album of 2004.

A life affirming and precious release, there's no-one out there like the Tracie Hunter Band, and the sooner the UK rock crowd wake up to their charm & integrity, the better. File under 'outstanding'.

Simon Gausden, Powerplay

From the opening haunting sound of Like You to the closing crowd pleaser Astoria Morning, the band certainly give it everything. New boy Matt Pearce adds an extra dimension as he backs up the raunchy lead guitar of Neil Gabbitas. 

There is some solid production led by brother Mel and the seductive, beautiful and sultry vocals of Tracie Hunter, set this album apart from the herd. There are some solid rockers here such as Did Me In and Mercury and they sit very comfortably with ballads such as Race and Lost Inside You. 

On the down side, I wish there were more than the 11 tracks included, as the band have an excellent catalogue of songs to choose from. Also included is the favourite Religion done slightly different to the original single. Some thoughful artwork goes to complete the main contender for "album of the year". This album deserves to win the Mercury Music Prize for sure.

Phil Holbrook

Powerplay Magazine Issue 26 - September 2001

Now here's a quandry for you. You're a young band...you get a recording deal...your all set to record your debut album, and the deal falls through at the last moment. What do you do? Well, if you're talented, write superb songs and have enough faith in yourselves. You record an EP and pay for it yourselves. Welcome to the world according to Tracie Hunter...

Tracie's band play what is probably best described as jagged, hard, modern, melodic pop rock, mainly acoustically driven, with serious bite. As l say, it's mainly led by acoustic guitars, but the percussion features some intriguing drum 'n' bass sampled bits, with loops 'n stuff too, and consequently it's very organic sounding, but infected with a millennium style chill pill. 

Tracie has a husky, really quite sensual voice, and she has a wonderful band behind her, flexing their musical muscles. Neil and Mel Gabbitas are the axe wielding brothers whose sound Tracie pours her heart over with such effect. All four songs-"Black And Blue", "Didn't l?"," Bring It On", and "Put It In A Jar"-are worthy of mention. All have fine tunes, killer choruses and true cross-genre appeal (even our beloved 'true metal' editor has given it his seal of approval), so you know it's all good. If pushed I'd lean towards the luscious "Didn't I?", where Tracie's voice becomes nothing less than gorgeous, and the chorus is to die for. If you want to find out what I'm getting all hot 'n' sweaty about, then go to www.traciehunter.com.

Songs 8/10.
Genre 8/10.

© Simon Gausden, Powerplay Magazine

Two rockers start and end the EP with Put It In A Jar developing Tracie's songwriting to new levels. Catchy hooks abound throughout the song, which leads into my favourite Didn't I. It's a melancholy ballad with Tracie's voice in fine form. I reckon this would make a terrific single. There is also some excellent guitar playing from Neil Gabbitas throughout the EP.

If you haven't seen the band live yet, then catch them on tour with Dan Baird at the end of this month. Production is superb on the EP and even Rich's drums are kept under control! Tracie deserves a major record deal and judging by this EP, the album will be a masterpiece.*****

Phil Holbrook