One thing you can’t accuse the Grammatics of is not trying. A music project created as a response to the trend of sparse simple indie pop, the band aim to brink back grandeur and intelligence to the genre. This is an album of sophisticated pop songs, brimming with ideas and strong musicianship.
The band never shy from their mission statement, with many large epic song structures. Album highlight “Relentless Fours” is a journey from a simple four note melody, through building overlayed vocals into a power riffed crescendo, all executed with a real confidence and flair.
Single D.I.L.E.M.M.A. is their most immediate track, with angular guitar lines and lush vocal weavings. At first lead vocalist Owen Brinley’s voice left me a little unsure, possessing a sense of confidence and an almost showboating quality which is uncommon for the genre. It definitely isn’t to everyone’s taste but I eventually warmed to it, and he does have a flair for interesting vocal melodies.
The albums only real downfall for me is that in pursuit of their lofty goals the band sometimes seem to being trying just a little bit to hard to be clever for the sake of it. However, it is that same determination which has allowed them to produce what will no doubt be looked back on at the end of the year as a highlight of 2009
Relentless Fours
D.I.L.E.M.M.A.
The Vague Archive
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