Albums

The Gemma Ray Ritual - Navy Blues

Chris Chinchilla 01/07/2005

Rating: 4/5

The Gemma Ray Ritual formed from the unlikely combination of Gemma's solo project and a few ex-members of Ten Benson, but any of you expecting something that sounds like either of those two acts will be sorely disappointed.

However what you do get is a wonderfully dark and dirty album full of nasty crashing jangly guitars, searing violins and lyrics concerning such subjects as (far as I can tell) penitent lovers, solitude, regret, mistrust and the sea. Don't expect an easy ride with some of the tracks here, there's an overwhelming ominous feeling to the whole album with very little let up or offer of brighter moods, though it will leave you with some feelings of some form: of an albeit downbeat and difficult experience.