Music
Press
Good music isn’t hard to find. Sure, sometimes it feels like years since something honest and good has reached the radio and even longer since it strikes a chord with a listener on a personal level, but it’s always there – if you’re willing to look.
Jeff Gorski’s self titled Solo EP, his first since Trestle disbanded in 2002, fits the bill. Straight off, the opening riff promises that this modest five-song collection won’t be anything short of remarkable. The opening track begins with a rhythmic assault that is purposefully understated in order to accentuate the lyrics & melody, “What do you believe in?” Mr. Gorski wonders just before the drums crash and the song is cemented into the listener’s conscious.
Perhaps the most surprisingly satisfying song is the second track, Heading East, with its unique jazz tempo, staccato melody, and a piano that picks its spots perfectly. The lyrics brilliant use of dark comedy is reminiscent of Elton John’s classic “I Think I’m Going to Kill Myself.” The song itself feels as though it was written spontaneously, perhaps by request from a friend or an acquaintance who may or may not be a genius based on how the song turned out. Regardless, the recording effectively captures that feeling of spontaneity without overdoing it.
The rest of the album also displays Jeff’s unique songwriting gifts. The melodies are instantly accessible (thought not too catchy that you will want to blow your brains out at the behest of the second track). The lyrics are honest and heartfelt and often times disarmingly good such as, “They say love is blind// But I can see just fine” in Don’t Let Me Down. Even Thanksgiving Day, which, just by the title, steps close to the edge of cliché and, for lack of a better word, cheesiness, ends with such a strong chorus and self-awareness that it never lingers long enough in cliché to stop it from being satisfying.
In short, the only regrettable aspect of the album is its brevity. But for a debut EP there is little disappointment, especially if you’ve been looking for Good new music. - Seth Warner
Discography
Trestle EP - Released in May 2000
Jeff Gorski EP - Released 2006 available on iTunes & CDBaby
"On Your Mind (Remix)" - Released on Compilation called Chill Out, available on iTunes
Photos
Bio
Following the demise of his original group Trestle, Gorski went solo and has been writing original Acoustic Rock tunes ever since. Jeff Gorski, a native of Rockford, IL, had his first brush with music one fateful day when he laid his hands on a cherry-red electric guitar. Over the years, he learned how to play and spent many nights jamming along to Guns n’ Roses, Metallica, Led Zeppelin, Jimi Hendrix and other greats. After graduating high-school, Gorski was hours away from selling his guitar and turning his back on music, but rather than selling his guitar, he traded his electric for an acoustic (the noise rules at his apartment complex had some influence on that transaction as well) and joined Trestle in 1999 where he served as the group’s songwriter, vocalist and rhythm guitarist. The group eventually split and he left for Chicago in 2004. Gorski wrote and recorded his self-titled solo debut in 2006. The five-track album packs a musical punch of Folk, Rock, Jazz and Funk that hits all the right spots. “Heading East” is an upbeat, finger-snappin’ number that features an old-school, Vaudeville-style piano throughout. Meanwhile, “Criminal” is a slower, melancholic number that manages to get the toes tappin’ despite its slower pace. “I’m going for something intimate and genuine,” says Gorski, “not manufactured. I write what inspires me and hope that it will resonate with people who listen.” Jeff Gorski, now living in St. Louis, MO, is currently writing new material set to be released at the end of 2009.
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