Get the new FREE JFH MP3 compilation -- Vol. 13!
Get the new FREE JFH MP3 compilation -- Vol. 13!

JFH Indie Review

JFH Indie Inspection Review

Dabster Gentlemen, Death or Life

Dabster Gentlemen
Death or Life

Street Date: November 17, 2018
Style: Folk / World / Jazz
Official Site: Official Website
Buy It: iTunes
Buy It: Amazon
Buy It: Google Play



In the 1980s, the rock music scene was dominated by a style of music affectionately known as “hair metal.” The genre’s reign even reached into Christian music, where you could find bands like Stryper, Whitecross, Petra, and Bride. Of course, Stryper is still active, and Bride releases new music from time to time, but the frontman of the latter, Dale Thompson, is also taking on a new venture in the form of Dabster Gentlemen. With the band’s debut album, Death or Life, Dabster Gentlemen is a far cry from the hair metal sound you might know Thompson for, as the project dives more into an eclectic world music sound. The vocals are unmistakable, but the music is comprised of an assortment of acoustic guitars, mandolins, organs, piano, and even the occasional trumpet, with some quiet bass and percussion to round it out. It's impossible to nail down a specific genre, because it’s actually a very diverse listen; while songs like “Animals” and “The Beat Rolls On” have some acoustic rock sensibilities, and “God’s Cemetery” could almost be mistaken for a Bride ballad, the album also dabbles in jazz, flamenco, country gospel, and folk. The musicianship is strong and the variety of sounds work really well together; I would probably very much enjoy listening to an instrumental version of this album. However, the mix of the music and Thompson’s particular style of vocals doesn’t work quite as well. Hair metal vocals sound fine in the context of loud, powerful arena rock, but they don’t necessarily mix well with other musical styles (except, perhaps, the power ballad). This is especially true when those vocals seem to be a little over-exaggerated, which usually doesn’t complement the instrumentation of this album. These Dabster Gentlemen are supremely talented and undoubtedly much more creative than this reviewer, but Death or Life might be too experimental to be appealing to anyone outside of a small, niche market.

- Review date: 2/7/19, written by Scott Fryberger of Jesusfreakhideout.com



(JFH Sponsor Spot)

Check out JFH's Lloyd in his first-ever childrens book!

 

 

. Record Label: None
. Album length: 12 tracks: 44 minutes and 25 seconds
. Street Date: November 17, 2018
. Buy It: iTunes

  1. Thick As Thieves (3:20)
  2. Animals (3:30)
  3. The Beat Rolls On (2:54)
  4. Rejoice (4:04)
  5. As Darkness Falls (3:54)
  6. No Signs of Life (3:46)
  7. The Odyssey (4:00)
  8. Have You Met the Man (3:16)
  9. God's Cemetery (3:53)
  10. When the Preacher Starts Preachin' (3:22)
  11. By the Spirit (4:34)
  12. Gone Like A Song (3:52)

 

 

 

go to main Indie review page
go to Indie Review Index

 

                 
Check out JFH's Lloyd in his first-ever childrens book!

Search JFH




This Wednesday, December 4, 2024
VINYL
Russ Taff A Christmas Song Vinyl [Girder]

This Friday, December 6, 2024
ALBUMS
Blessing Offor Covers - EP [Capitol CMG]
Colony House Every Christmas - EP [Roon]
Jonava Heaven Empyreal EP [The Charon Collective]
Brandon Lake Hard Fought Hallelujah: Heavyweight Edition - EP [Provident]
Ronnie Martin Holiday Fable - Instrumentals [Velvet Blue]
Poor Bishop Hooper As Foretold: Part 1 EP (independent)
Various Artists DREAM Christmas Vol. 8 [DREAM]
Within Silence The Eclipse of Worlds [Ulterium]

SINGLES
Cory Asbury Iris - Single [BEC]
Adriel Cruz Falling For You - Single [Syntax]
Bethel Music He Has Done Great Things (feat. Brian Johnson) [Live] - Single [Bethel]
Calvary MSC Hail the King (ft. Stefan Green) - Single (independent)
Chainstay Re;gret, Re;gress, Re;cover - Single [Small Step Records]
Jon Foreman Stay Wild Wildflower (feat. Kyndal Inskeep) - Single [Capitol CMG]
Forfeit Thee Untrue It’s Colder Now - Single [Rottweiler]
gio., LOGE, H3nry Thr!ll Jumpin' (H3nry Thr!ll Remix) - Single [Capitol CMG]
Mat Kearney Christmas Chevrolet (Jingle Bells) - Single (independent)
Steven Malcolm Stick And Move (feat. Mike Teezy) - Single [Curb]
Michael Monroe Hiding - Single [Provident]
Sheets Nelson I Need You - Single [Church Boy]
No Vain Glory Praise (ft. Mapalo the Girl) - Single [Syntax]
Christian Paul The First Noel - Single [Capitol CMG]
Pulpit Vomit Jingle, Jingle, Jingle (Redux) - Single [Rottweiler / Broken Curfew]
Sidewalk Prophets I Apologize - Single [Curb]
Kristian Stanfill Come to Jesus - Single [Capitol CMG]
TobyMac a lil church - Single [Capitol CMG]
Bay Turner Praise the Lord (Sunday Prelud) - Single [Centricity]
Weeping Hour Misael - Single (independent)
Wind and Sail I’ll Be Home For Christmas - a live postcard - Single (independent)

VINYL
Flyleaf Flyleaf Vinyl [Smartpunk]

Next Monday, December 9, 2024
ALBUMS
Relentless Pursuit Ascension (independent)

Next Wednesday, December 11, 2024
ALBUMS
Alex Henry Foster A Whispering Moment - EP [Hopeless Tragedy]

Next Friday, December 13, 2024
ALBUMS
Shaun P Live at the Jesus Dome [DREAM]

SINGLES
Leslie Jordan Golden Thread (for Jess) - Single (independent)
Leigh Nash Cry (feat. Villiers) [Fear of Tigers Remix] - Single [Visionary]
Stars Go Dim Mama Don't Lie (Alright) - Single [Curb]



For all release dates, click here!
 



Check out the new album from Taylor Holland Armstrong!



Listen to the new album from Within Silence!

Check out depositphotos for royalty free images