Mr. Gnome
“Fader”
release date: 7/23/24
by Scott Deckman
On Mr. Gnome’s new single, “Fader,” singer/guitarist Nicole Barille and husband drummer Sam Meister bring the noise. Different iterations of a hypnotic guitar riff run through the song like a piledriver to your brain. The sinister bridge at 2:26 brings to mind Bubble Puppy’s likewise turn on “Hot Smoke & Sassafras.” It’s the song’s best part, aside from the feedback peal. On “Fader,” Barille’s lysergic Betty Boop voice is buried in the wall of sound, but this is about droning guitar trance, not pop hits. At 7:01 long, it’s certainly not going to be played on any top 40 stations. Still arty — and proggy — the guitar work is quite metallic, particularly Barille’s near-minute shredding solo toward the end.
Turn on. Tune in. Drop out.
