The next few weeks sees two of my most anticapted albums of the year released. They’re both debuts from bands which really gathered momentum throughout 2008.
Grammatics
Grammatics are a band who concentrate on creating intelligent pop songs. They’ve occasionally been accused of being too clever for their own good, though I have to disagree based on their output to date. The really interesting dynamic is that a cellist features prominently, something not often seen in modern popular music. The cello is integrated really well with the rest of the music, it makes you wonder why it isn’t more common. Vocals are likely to be a point of contention for some, falsetto is a bit of a love/hate thing so it’s easy to see why. The really interesting point for me is that one of my favourite songs of last year, New Franchise, hasn’t even made it onto the album. Usually this is a good sign.
Dilemma video:
‘Dilemma’ video for the Leeds band Grammatics from Marcus Macaulay on Vimeo.
New Franchise video:
Grammatics – New Franchise from LEFT EYE BLIND on Vimeo.
Dananananakroyd
Dananananakroyd come from almost the opposite direction. It’s still clever music but, instead of seeming careful and considered, it’s a big, fun punch in the face. The lead single for their debut album Hey Everyone is a bit more relaxed, but features nearly all of their trademark musical touches. Based on their output so far, you can expect intro-verse-chorus-verse-chorus-middle eight-outro, but it’s executed in such a way as to make it irresistable. They’re probably going to be more famous as a live band, but I have high hopes for their studio recordings too.
Black Wax video:
Black Wax from Best Before Records on Vimeo.
It’s unfortunate that these albums are being released during a hectic period in my year, it will make digesting them a slightly harder process. Expect reviews sometime near the end of May at this rate…