The Cairo Gang
Untouchable
GOD? Records [2017]
Album Review: Untouchable is the first Cairo Gang lp that I would say is top to bottom great. Now don’t get me wrong, Emmett Kelly has made some damn fine albums under the Cairo Gang moniker, but Untouchable is the one for me for sure. I don’t know if it’s because it sounds more live (it was cut live in the studio with overdubs added later) or if it because Ty Segall brings an added element to the music with his production touches and his always welcome drumming, or if it’s because Kelly just had a really kickass batch of songs this time out. Most likely, it’s all of those, so why should I overthink it, right?
Clocking in at right around 30 minutes, these 8 songs embody the spirit of such classic bands as the Byrds, the Velvet Underground and Love, without ever sounding derivative of those bands. Untouchable moves Emmett Kelly to the head of the class, and elevates Cairo Gang to the level of contemporaries such as Mikal Cronin, Ty Segall, John Dwyer, and Tim Presley. Heck he was already up there with those guys talent wise, but maybe now the secret will break out to a larger audience! Check out the track “In The Heart of Her Heart” and tell me I’m wrong, I dare ya!
The Cairo Gang Website
The Cairo Gang Facebook
GOD? Records
– Reviewed by Kevin Poindexter
Born and raised in Dayton, Ohio, I am extremely proud of the area I grew up in and the influence it has had on the world at large, from the Wright Brothers to Robert Pollard, the area has been a center of innovation both technologically and artistically. During my college years at the University of Dayton, I found myself becoming more and more immersed in the local music scene, a period of time in the early to mid 90's that coincided with the rise of bands like Guided by Voices, Brainiac, and The Breeders, who added to the rich musical legacy of the area. Dayton is also the hometown of many giants of funk in the 70's and is also the birthplace of Jazz greats Billy Strayhorn, John Scofield and Bud Shank. I wrote extensively for The Fire Note, a great online magazine focused on indie rock, in the 2010's while simultaneously being a partner in Rockathon Records, before retiring from both in 2018. In 2024, my thoughts turned back to helping at Rockathon and more importantly to pick back up on my writing, and more specifically to write about my love of jazz. I'm always listening, always searching for something new, something great. It's been a lifelong journey, and I still feel like there is so much out there to hear.
- Kevin Poindexterhttps://thefirenote.com/author/kpoindexter/
- Kevin Poindexterhttps://thefirenote.com/author/kpoindexter/
- Kevin Poindexterhttps://thefirenote.com/author/kpoindexter/
- Kevin Poindexterhttps://thefirenote.com/author/kpoindexter/
