Element of Left
| Element of Left | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Studio album by b d Gottfried | ||||
| Released | January 1, 2009 | |||
| Genre | Experimental rock, prog rock | |||
| Label | Last Tango Productions /Automatic Automaton[1] | |||
| Producer | Bill Gottfried | |||
| b d Gottfried chronology | ||||
| ||||
Element of Left is a studio rock album by the Canadian band b d Gottfried, the solo project of Bill Gottfried. Released on January 1, 2009[3] by Last Tango Productions, it received mixed t positive receptions from publications such as the Moose Jaw Times-Herald,[4] the Red Deer Express,[5] and The Beacon Herald.[2] The Beacon Herald opined that "somehow the unconventional arrangements of guitar, keyboard, percussion and vocals is perfectly fitting for the issues of disconnection, loss, futility and desperation [Bill Gottfried] seems to be exploring."[2]
Production and release
Element of Left was the band's debut full-length album, released on January 1, 2009 as a predecessor to albums such as Damien's Lantern.[3] In the album, Aaron Gottfried handles vocals, with Jack Smith also contributing vocals. Bill Gottfried and George Chaggares finished out the band.[6] The album, released on Automatic Automaton, stayed in the top 10 on the Canadian station CKRL for eight weeks, and went on to be aired on around fifty commercial Canadian radio stations.[1]
Critical reception
| Professional ratings | |
|---|---|
| Review scores | |
| Source | Rating |
| Moose Jaw Times-Herald | (positive)[4] |
| Red Deer Express |    [5] |
| The Beacon Herald | (positive)[2] |
| Yorkton This Week | [7] |
The Moose Jaw Times-Herald gave Element of Left a glowing review, calling Bill Gottfried's work "genius" and writing that "this music is so cool even if lyrics aren't your thing, but don't expect sunshine and smiles. Industrial Funk would be my best description for the tunes flowing from The Element of Left. Industrial funk, borne of blue collar man's disenchantment."[4]
Red Deer Express gave The Element of Left a score of 2.5/5 and a more mixed review, writing "Gottfried is one of those artists/writers who boldly dives into the reaches of his imagination and experience to create his art. It makes for intriguing listening, but can keep some folks questioning what the abstract material is truly focusing on."[5]
Calvin Daniels for Yorkton This Week gave Element of Left a score of 9/10 and a positive review in April 2009,[7] writing in a review that the album was "musically lush, with a bold full sound. He also mixes in a range of elements musically, from near orchestral, to full-blown electronica, creating an ever-changing panorama in terms of the sound."[6]
The Beacon Herald gave the album praise for its uniqueness and non-mainstream nature, writing "in a world of cookie-cutter music where originality and innovation are becoming more and more rare, it's nice to hear an artist who's willing to take some chances.... Somehow the unconventional arrangements of guitar, keyboard, percussion and vocals is perfectly fitting for the issues of disconnection, loss, futility and desperation he seems to be exploring on The Element of Left...Whatever it is, it's good stuff -- rich, textured, deep and meaningful. And what's refreshing about Gottfried's music is that it's not different for the sake of being different."[2]
Track listing
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "One White Crow" | ||
| 2. | "Pointed Hat & Twist Her" | ||
| 3. | "State of Flux" | ||
| 4. | "Loose Screws" | ||
| 5. | "Doped Up On God" | ||
| 6. | "Transmission Fading" | ||
| 7. | "Hell and Above" | ||
| 8. | "Are You Safe Tonight" | ||
| 9. | "Automatic Automaton" | ||
| 10. | "Commander of The Faithful" |
Personnel
This list of songs or music-related items is incomplete; you can help by expanding it.
- b d Gottfried - primary artist
References
- 1 2 "About Me". about.me/bdgottfried. Retrieved 2016-01-01.
- 1 2 3 4 5 Beitz, Mike (November 22, 2008). "CD Reviews". The Beacon Herald. Retrieved 2016-01-01.
- 1 2 "Discography". www.bdgottfried.com. Retrieved 2016-01-01.
- 1 2 3 Waser, Fraser (2012). "bd Gottfried's fourth album Element of Left". Moose Jaw Times-Herald. Retrieved 2016-01-01.
- 1 2 3 Weber, Mark (January 30, 2009). "What's new in CDs - The Element of Left". Red Deer Express.
- 1 2 Daniels, Calvin (April 16, 2009). "Review - The Element of Left". Calvin Daniels. Retrieved 2016-01-01.
- 1 2 Daniels, Calvin (July 28, 2010). "Review -- B.D. GOTTFRIED -- The Warden's Picnic". Yorkton This Week. Retrieved 2016-01-01.