Gretchen Goes To Nebraska

King's X is a highly inventive band who play complex loud prog rock style music with passion and flair with a high degree of technical excellence and musical dexterity and proficiency. 'Gretchen Goes To Nebraska' is generally considered to be their landmark album. It is a concept album based on a short story written by drummer Jerry Gaskill. Wonderful vocal harmonies and Doug Pinnick's vocals never sounded better. The album is full of light and shade from the grinding opening riff of "Out Of The Silent Planet" through the shimmering "Summerland" to the delicately beautiful "Garden At St. Anne's." This is how hard rock should sound, with beautiful beatlesque melodies while still riffing and grooving furiously.

It seemed inconceivable that Houston's King's X would ever top the brilliance and originality of their debut, but 1989's Gretchen Goes to Nebraska did just that, taking their unique sound to unprecedented heights of invention and inspiration. With its interweaving vocals, ominous bass riff, and sitar flourishes, the dark "Out of the Silent Planet" truly sounds not of this earth. Even more stunning is the band's immediate about-face into the joyous gospel fervor of their signature song, "Over My Head," a celebration of music fit for any Sunday congregation. Anyone finding fault with the band's Christian beliefs will certainly be silenced by the televangelist-bashing "Mission" and the Galileo homage "Pleiades." And although the dreamy "Summerland" and the guitar-driven "Send a Message" are somewhat reminiscent of the first album's "Goldilox" and "King," respectively, each still stands on its own merits. The band's fantastic vocal harmonies lead the way on "Fall on Me" and "Everybody Knows a Little Bit of Something," and "The Burning Down" provides a perfect, mysterious parting shot. ~ Eduardo Rivadavia