GRNDMS
So the other album that was on a bit of a constant loop last week - whilst I got to enjoy the delights of North American airport departure gates - was GRNDMS' incredible debut album "Capitol Mill." GRNDMS originally came to my attention via UK cassette label Fox Food Records' compilation "Because Mountains Are There To Climb." I'd originally picked-up this album via Bandcamp's ridiculously easy 'name-your-price' policy - primarily due to the appearance of the oh-so wonderful and dulcet tones of Olivia Rose and Oh, Rose as well as the ethereal aural experience that is Stockholm's Fanpage. Then I heard "Capitol mill" and realised there was another band on Fox Food's roster that warranted serious attention...
GRNDMS are Catherine DeGennaro and Suzy Jivotovski, who originally met while at University but are now living in different States, some 400 miles apart (so neighbours then, given the vastness of this place). Apparently their debut album "Capitol Mill" was the result of a challenge the girls set themselves to each independently write and record a song a day, for five days. All I can say is that if the 10 tracks here are the result of the pair independently writing and recording via long-distance, how frighteningly good are they going to be if they were to ever venture into a studio together?
I like albums that throw you a curve-ball and "Capitol Mill" does just that. The album opens with "Mass observation // whistle & bells", 1'15" of outer-worldly wondrousness, all distorted guitar, resonant bass and muffled harmonies - something that wouldn't necessarily be out of place on Fanpage's next album - but then with the opening chords of "White hot mess" the most drop-dead gorgeous of indie-folk pop-tunes fills the air. It's immediately reassuring and welcoming - the chords spell out a tune that you should but can't quite place; the vocal harmonies - seeing as Catherine and Suzy were several hundred miles apart, I'm guessing multi-tracked? - are 'au point' and the end result is just the most perfect song for chilling-out with friends and a glass or two of your favourite falling-down juice.
The ten tracks on this album clock-in at a little over 26 minutes, but frankly everything that needs to happen, does. There's no over-blown solo or middle-eight. As befits the album's lo-fi ethos, there's a definite sparseness to the sound - although arguably you could substitute 'spareness' for 'clarity' (no OTT production job here then), but there's no cutting corners - every song is meticulously crafted, poetic lyrics - at times whimsical - perfectly match the songs' qualities. This is another one of those albums that I fully intended to make copious notes (or at least a few incoherent ramblings) about whilst squashed into a seat in coach (economy). Once again I kind of failed miserably... "Capitol Mill" is the sort of album that you just want to listen too and appreciate (glad this blogging lark is purely a hobby, else I'd struggle...)
GRNDMS are Catherine DeGennaro and Suzy Jivotovski, who originally met while at University but are now living in different States, some 400 miles apart (so neighbours then, given the vastness of this place). Apparently their debut album "Capitol Mill" was the result of a challenge the girls set themselves to each independently write and record a song a day, for five days. All I can say is that if the 10 tracks here are the result of the pair independently writing and recording via long-distance, how frighteningly good are they going to be if they were to ever venture into a studio together?
I like albums that throw you a curve-ball and "Capitol Mill" does just that. The album opens with "Mass observation // whistle & bells", 1'15" of outer-worldly wondrousness, all distorted guitar, resonant bass and muffled harmonies - something that wouldn't necessarily be out of place on Fanpage's next album - but then with the opening chords of "White hot mess" the most drop-dead gorgeous of indie-folk pop-tunes fills the air. It's immediately reassuring and welcoming - the chords spell out a tune that you should but can't quite place; the vocal harmonies - seeing as Catherine and Suzy were several hundred miles apart, I'm guessing multi-tracked? - are 'au point' and the end result is just the most perfect song for chilling-out with friends and a glass or two of your favourite falling-down juice.
The ten tracks on this album clock-in at a little over 26 minutes, but frankly everything that needs to happen, does. There's no over-blown solo or middle-eight. As befits the album's lo-fi ethos, there's a definite sparseness to the sound - although arguably you could substitute 'spareness' for 'clarity' (no OTT production job here then), but there's no cutting corners - every song is meticulously crafted, poetic lyrics - at times whimsical - perfectly match the songs' qualities. This is another one of those albums that I fully intended to make copious notes (or at least a few incoherent ramblings) about whilst squashed into a seat in coach (economy). Once again I kind of failed miserably... "Capitol Mill" is the sort of album that you just want to listen too and appreciate (glad this blogging lark is purely a hobby, else I'd struggle...)
That being said, would it be a major faux-pas to suggest "Bending out" reminds me a little of early Simon & Garfunkel (before the egos took over)? Again there's that immediate feeling of familiarity, the vocal harmonisations are just perfect and again the lyrics are again wonderfully poetic.
There are some really nice touches on this album; the sublime lilting electric guitar on "Linger; the relaxing guitar plucking and oh-so-note perfect harmonies on "Observation satellites"; there's also a welcome return to the deep bass and distortion on "Last past life"; the Marine Girls-ish "Echo chamber" - seriously, every song on this album is a little gem... And given my less than ** cough ** honed physique, "Resolute" does strike an apt chord to finish this stunning - and yes Year-listed - album.
As I listen to this album I'm drawn more and more to comparisons with fellow Fox Food artists Oh, Rose (and especially "A Date at the Guest House" and their fellow Olympian Globelamp - all three artists create a totally captivating sound that forces you to find out a much about them as possible (more on the obsessive internet trolling later...) I'd even go as far as to say that if Catherine and Suzy were to ever hone their studio-craft ensemble I'd argue that their vocal harmonies would rub shoulder-to-shoulder with the undoubted reines of angelic harmonisation, the Gaspé Peninsula's Les sœurs Boulay.
So I mentioned a tad of internet trolling - I'd kind of think of it as virtual detective work - my discoveries lead me to uncover that Catherine has released an album earlier this year of beautifully soothing folk-tinged demos under the name hairpins. Entitled "april is over", it's available (naturellement) via Bandcamp. Meanwhile, as Ssocket, Suzy has released a couple of free downloads full of reverbed and fed-back indie-guitar wonderfulness, including the most amazing stripped-back to basics cover of Girlpool's "Chinatown" on her album "Candygram".
"Capitol Mill" effortlessly blends the distinctive and differing styles of the pair into one cohesive, complete and totally compelling album. Yearlist...
GRNDMS "Capitol Mill" (Bandcamp)
hairpins "april is over" (Bandcamp)
Ssocket "Candygram" (Bandcamp)
So I mentioned a tad of internet trolling - I'd kind of think of it as virtual detective work - my discoveries lead me to uncover that Catherine has released an album earlier this year of beautifully soothing folk-tinged demos under the name hairpins. Entitled "april is over", it's available (naturellement) via Bandcamp. Meanwhile, as Ssocket, Suzy has released a couple of free downloads full of reverbed and fed-back indie-guitar wonderfulness, including the most amazing stripped-back to basics cover of Girlpool's "Chinatown" on her album "Candygram".
"Capitol Mill" effortlessly blends the distinctive and differing styles of the pair into one cohesive, complete and totally compelling album. Yearlist...
GRNDMS "Capitol Mill" (Bandcamp)
hairpins "april is over" (Bandcamp)
Ssocket "Candygram" (Bandcamp)
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