Gabriel's Day

“With less of the anthems mentioned in the title and more of the intimacies, Gabriel’s Day have produced an accomplished debut album. The record strides wit the melodies of the Finn brothers and is heavy with the lyrical insight of Paul Kelly. It’s full of honesty and emotion, yearning with the coy, British vocals of Daniel Simmons. Gabriel’s Day are two-thirds Australian and one-third British, which is obvious in their melding of laidback instrumentation and earnest confessions. They formed in Sydney and after writing what would become Anthems & Intimacies in Oz, ventured to London to have the album recorded by Rainmaker: a pair of producers who have worked with bands from The Clash to Ash. The result is a record garnished by clear production. With each song allowed to step forward and open out into an enthralling installment of blemished romance and undeniable beauty. It plays with a level of effortless perfection that doesn’t sound contrived, but is instead complemented by a sense of spontaneous enthusiasm. Starting the album, Swansong is a mellow strum of guitars met by an electric hook and is iced by a bruised take on the standard boy-meets-girl song formula. Lights Out , on the other hand, rides an insistent bass line with choppy guitars and a vocal that stutters out “hail the lairs and the ch ch ch ch ch ch cheats,” with rushed urgency before the words “lights out” are dragged forward as if the song has all the time in the world. Three Wishes sounds like Coldplay and is embellished by a rising cello part, while Kite flying is completed by an American Indian-like round. The album stand-out however is found in eth subtleties of Series Of Twelve, which begins with a melody borrowed from Silent Night, and ends the same way after a climatic vocal that reminds me of Oasis. Set for radio success, Gabriel’s Day have made a debut album that tugs at sunshine while its Britpop vocals roll around in lush melodies. It’s certainly worth a listen.” Drum Media.

- Drum Media

“The Sydney based trio impress with their debut effort. It features a mix of emotive ballads and sweeping rock tracks that get better with every listen. The first single Swansong is a brilliant effort, along with the achingly beautiful Faith & Four Letter Words and the melodic Tattooed You. Their bruised emotion has been compared to Coldplay, while singer Daniel Simmons is vocally reminiscent of Adam Duritz (Counting Crows). With the emergence of acts like Gabriel’s Day and Little Birdy, the Aussie rock scene has never looked healthier. Four Stars” Elizabeth Napoli, NW Magazine - NW Magazine

“With comparisons to the likes of Coldplay and Paul Kelly being thrown around, Sydney-based trio Gabriel’s Day had quite a bit to live up to with this UK-recorded debut. Their atmospheric, at times moody brand of thinking pop takes you a couple of spins to sink in – you wont be pumped up for a night out after hearing haunting opener Swansong or the brilliant Mrs Turner. But this is a strong first-up collection marked by a sprinkling of stunning tracks. Three and a half stars”. Kathy McCabe, Daily Telegraph. - Kathy McCabe, Daily Telegraph