By Jim Rowland
Stephen Gibb, the eldest son of Bee Gee Barry Gibb, is a seasoned musician in his own right, having played a sideman role with numerous big names in rock. Taking more of a centre stage with new project Kill The Robot, this self-titled debut album puts his own song writing in the spotlight for a diverse but cohesive piece of work.
Gibb’s CV so far includes stints with his father’s solo band, including Barry’s last show to date on the Pyramid Stage at Glastonbury festival 2017, and Mötley Crüe’s Nikki Sixx in the project 58. He has also played bass with Zakk Wylde in Black Label Society, toured and recorded guitar with New Orleans’ sludge legends Crowbar, was a member of Hatebreed frontman Jamey Jasta’s doom-laden project Kingdom of Sorrow, as well as Jamey’s solo project Jasta, and currently tours with reformed legendary ’80s rockers Saigon Kick.
The album was produced by award winning producer Warren Riker who has worked with the likes of Down, The Fugees, Lauryn Hill and Santana, and it’s an impressive job he has done here. Melodic with a commercial sensibility, but bold and inventive at the same time, ‘Kill The Robot’ fuses flavours of big stadium rock with alt-rock, ’80s pop, electronica and a healthy dose of prog.
That prog influence is certainly evident on the spacey ‘Mothership’ and the pumping rock of ‘Western Shores’. ‘See The World’, which features guest backing vocals from Barry Gibb himself, along with ‘Summer Days’ have a lighter 80’s pop influence of the likes of Tears for Fears, whilst the darker ‘Drug’ perhaps has a hint of Depeche Mode to it. Elsewhere, ‘No13ise’ and ‘Agave’ have a heavier, dark and twisted vibe and the likes of ‘Better Than’, ‘Right Now’ and ‘Atomic Haze’ are hypnotic and spacey slices of atmospheric rock.
With the substantial assistance of Gil Bitton (vocals), Gordon Myers (bass) and Jean-Pierre Espiritusanto (drums), Stephen Gibb, handling guitars, synths and vocals, has put his own talented song writing in the spotlight here and, with a top notch production, produced an impressive, inventive, diverse and cohesive commercial-leaning rock album.
- ‘Kill The Robot‘ is released tomorrow (Friday 11 July).