Gary Ritchie - Hum, Sing...Repeat (2011)

Almost ten years We have waited for the publication of a new album by Gary Ritchie. Finally, in our hands is the ultimate "Hum, Sing ... Repeat!" (Fancy Two Tone Records, 2011), a generous eighteen songs album that finally sees the light after the timid hint of Gary in 2008, the year a few of the songs were available only for digital download, a self-titled EP.

A few years ago, Gary Ritchie published his tribute album to the Beatles: "Beat The Meatles" which served as introduction to his masterpiece: "Pop Radio". Finally, after a long wait, we have to arrival of "Hum, Sing ... Repeat!" Which shows a perfect continuation of the wonderful "Pop Radio!" A formidable array of songs in the style "Beatles Pop" riddled with nods to groups called "British Invasion". The wait has been long but it was well worth it.

A fervent admirer of the Beatles and other groups of 60 as Dave Clark Five, Everly Brothers and The Who, and also of the heirs of these, emerging years later as Pezband, Badfinger and Nick Lowe, it was expected that the disk we would find a very large collection of pop songs brighter, full of melodies, verses and choruses perfectly assembled.

A disc smoothly despite its generous length of nearly an hour (18 songs), filled with melodic edges that stick with you as they happen. Engaging choruses, riffs that invite the "air guitar", basic rhythms that help keep your feet in constant rhythm and guitars in particular sound that highlights the jangle of his 12-string Danelectro, which always prints the retro atmosphere to the songs .

In the first part of the disc are the five great songs on the EP 2008. It starts with "At The Party", the pure classical style. Impossible not tapping your foot from the pricipio, also "This Time Around" with a chorus superpegadizo adorned with magnificent choirs and vocals, and "Pretty Little Gina" with the "1-2-3-4" from the start, and remember McCartney at first, but then is become in a style closer to the Everly Brothers with a keyboard wrapped very Costello. Then follows "Alright" with an intro very "The Who" and a cadence much like Nick Lowe. Then "Hear From You", a Merseybeat, jangle sound that immediately grabs and a melody bitélmana very evident. "Cold Lies", a song many years ago that he was playing with his old band from Chicago, Loose Lips. TOTALLY EXCELLENT!!