“Send my regards to Gomorrah and Sodom,” Richard Jankovich sings on “20 Miles” from Big Mother Gig’s third album Gusto. Jankovich wears his heart on his sleeve throughout the band’s recovery-themed collection of songs. Like an alchemist he turns pain and suffering into art.
In the notes for the video “Overcome with Shadows,” Jankovich says, “I’ve done a lot of work with a type of therapy called EMDR and Voice Dialogue. In these treatments, you actually learn to identify parts of your inner psyche and the roles they play. In my head, there are countless characters that push me to “keep busy” rather than be in the moment.” Understanding the context and backstory, that song’s chorus “Just go—let me unwind!” speaks volumes.
Considering the subject matter, the big singalong choruses don’t seem at all out of place. It is not difficult to read between lines like “the doctor will see you now”; “there’s no bourbon in my cup”; “I take vitamins and vitamins galore”; and “the wheels were coming off this jalopy.” This is not a woe is me concept album, nor is it proselytizing for any one path to recovery. Jankovich uses rock music and catchy hooks as his canvas to draw the listener in.
With roots at Marquette University, the band’s first album came out in 1993, cutting their teeth at clubs like The Globe, Shank Hall and The Unicorn. In 2016 they played a reunion show and ended a 20 year break, returning with 2017’s Almost Primed.
Taken as a whole, Gusto with titles like “Sober Man’s Test” is clear-eyed view from someone young enough to realize he got another chance and offers listeners a travelogue. Here’s hoping Jankovich’s next chapter continues in this direction.
