BAAD NEWZ

I was quite pleasantly surprised listening to this release by local band Baad Newz. After seeing the devil-like head on the cover of the CD, I thought be another death and doom metal band, replete with lyrics about Armageddon, blood running through the street, and the like. Now, don't send angry letters to the EDGE, you death metal mavens out there, there isn't anything WRONG with that, I just like to hear somewhat happier music sometimes!
4U2C is an impressive effort by this San Antonio trio, made up of Preston Bracy on Guitars and vocals; Gilbert "Gwibb" Pena on drums and vocals; and Will Pena on bass and vocals. The dozen songs on this slickly produced CD show a wide range of influences, and a tremendous amount of talent.
The lyrical content of the songs is also pretty diverse, ranging from GOD, to being with your baby, to racism, to jet fighter attacks! I like a band that can write about ANYthing! The CD opens with "Some Day" and comes off as a full-bore rocker, with shredding guitar and solid, chunky backbeats. "Gonna Be With" launches with double bass beats and frenetic guitar work for about 90 seconds! "Did He Did She" starts off slow and atmoshperic piece, then breaks into a Rush-like rhythm. "Make Up Your Mind" is a bluesier number, showcasing the great versatility of the band.
On "Freed From Free" the influences range from modern-day grunge to old-school metal, and it all fits together seamlessly. "Racist" is a great rant song. "Dust Off" is a battlefield re-enactment by Bracy, with noises and sounds created by his guitar. "What!" is a funky number, combined with high-scale screaming. Great interplay between the band members on this one."YICU" is one of GIBB's tunes, and his voice shows an impressive range. In fact, the three members each have distinctly different styles that all seem to mesh well with the music presented here, and with each other.
This is a very well done CD by this San Antonio power trio, and I'll be interested to see what they sound like live. Definitely worth listening to if you like a bit of variety in your hard rock! - The Edge Magazine San Antonio, TX