Autumn Days by Gus Black: A Seductive and Soothing Album

Autumn Days is the Los Angeles singer-songwriter Gus Black's newest album. With his songs appearing on TV shows like Smallville, One Tree Hill, Felicity, and Alias he can hardly be called an obscure artist. And since Autumn Days is his fourth album, it is a wonder his name isn't more widely known. However, his first two albums, a 1996 self-titled debut and 1999's Word of Mouth Parade on Almo Sounds were billed under Gus instead of Gus Black.

March 21, 2006 is a fitting date for the US release of this album - it was released in Europe last August. Even though the name is Autumn Days, it will be a wonderful soundtrack for the spring. An unintentional melancholy weaves itself through the songs acting to really pull them all together for a beautiful album. It inspires you to do some self-examination and cleanse your heart of emotions past, like spring-cleaning of the soul. Spring also signifying rejuvenation is also appropriate as this will be Gus Black's debut release with Venice, CA based Cheap Lullaby Records.

But Autumn Days isn't all springtime. Through the 14 tracks (plus a bonus track) on the album, Gus changes his color from warm acoustic melodies to lively electric rock songs. And while only nine of the songs are originals, each tune is played with a new freshness that they don't sound like your typical covers. Gus Black certainly makes each song his own.

Autumn Days is an album about love, or according to Gus Black, about "the twisted torment of a failed relationship crashing into a new beginning." It is full of ballads with pop hooks that are simply orgasmic to the ear. The rhythmic guitar pulls you in while the lulling vocals leave you mesmerized.

Gus Black has created an album of songs so soothing they seduce you into that universe between wakefulness and slumber. Autumn Days is the perfect CD to stick on your iPod for that spring day when you want to be alone in nature and really think about life.

All pretty soothing for an album that almost didn't happen. The first day of recording, Gus had to run and buy a headphone extension cord and was held up at gunpoint. Lucky for our ears, the guy ran off allowing Gus to pay for his cord and start recording.

Track listing:

1. Don't Go Tellin' The Whole World
2. Long Beach (It's A Miracle)
3. Trillion Things
4. Traffic And Sound
5. Weekend Soldier
6. Devil Spine
7. Rollercoaster
8. Helicopters
9. Certain Kind Of Light
10. 3234 (Imbecile)
11. Fire Escape
12. So Very Young
13. Shatter
14. Autumn Days
15. Bonus