Track listing: 7 Pounds of Flesh, Two Musketeers, Breaking All the Rules, Burning Bridges, The Wheels Keep Spinning, Ready Set Go, How to Forgive How to Forget, The Way to Escape, We Could Be Free, Smoke Signals, Love Take Me Home, Zombie Darlin, Paint It Black
What's in a name? A lot, really. Just ask a rose. Sure, Bill Shakespeare claimed it'd be the same by any other name. But it sure as hell makes more sense to call a pretty red aromatic flower by its commonly accepted moniker. Names are important! Just ask Polyphemus--who would have appreciated knowing Odysseus' name wasn't "Nobody." So when I came across Sacramento-based singer/songwriter Gimacus Burns, my first order of business was figuring out how to say "Gimacus." Thankfully, if you follow him @gimacusburns on Instagram, each of his reels ends with a handy audio pronunciation snippet. Thanks, Gimacus!
Nomenclature aside, today we've got 7 Pounds of Flesh before us--the latest album released by the aforementioned Mr. Burns. It's a 13-track collection featuring Gimacus' vocal & acoustic guitar stylings; all original save the final song, the Rolling Stones' classic "Paint It Black." Burns' 7 Pounds is whimsical and witty. And as brevity is the soul of wit, again according to ol' Shakespeare, Gimacus tends to keep his songs in the 2-3 minute sweet spot. Efficiently composed pieces, to be sure: you get the verses, quick-turn bridges, and choruses that don't dilly dally.
"The Wheels Keep Spinning" is the record's most lyrically ambitious effort--the verses whizzing by at a fever pitch! "We Could Be Free" burns along, as well, with the message of independent thought and existence...and a lip-accentuated 'mouth-trombone' solo as the musical cherry on top.
Burns' voice is full-bodied and powerful, yet also sweet and sincere. As you listen to the record and maybe catch a few IG Reels, you get to know him. Seems like a kind, honest fella who it'd be fun to grab a beer with and exchange random stories about nothing; but also dive into today's political and socioeconomic shitshow we've got goin' on here in 2025.
Take a gander at Gimacus' 7 Pounds of Flesh. It's light and refreshing. It's also thought-provoking and grounding. Let him challenge you, reassure you, and perhaps provide some insight into how you might be able to navigate your life's course with a little more compassion and understanding. Begin your Gimacus getaway at gimacus.com.