lambchops's Full Review: Concrete Dunes by Grandaddy
Incredibly creative and talented.
Grandaddy shocked all skeptics and pleased all fans when they nailed both their first and second releases. Most importantly was of course the futuristic, emotionally charged and ultimately brilliant The Sophtware Slump that dropped on shelves in mid-2000.
Formed in 1992, Grandaddy finally settled on a lineup in 1995. The band, consisting of the multi-talented singer-songwriter Jason Lytle, bassist Kevin Garcia, guitarist Jim Fairchild, Tim Dryden on keyboards, and Aaron Burtch on drums sauntered onto the music scene after releasing a few indie EPs. It was with 1997’s Under The Western Freeway that the Californian band first made an impact. While not quite a classic album, Grandaddy was able to at least assemble an album to lay the groundwork for subsequent greatness.
And that greatness came in the form of 2000’s The Sophtware Slump. A strange, crazed, funny type of indie rock pervaded the record. Even more notable was the obvious lyrical prowess exhibited by Lytle mixed with his delicate vocals, the shimmering keys, and the overall just impressive modern rock. And when I call it “modern” it is meant as a compliment. Grandaddy showed a great deal of drive and creativity on the eleven songs. Not just that, but also the fact that it was very timely. Lytle’s words revolve most specifically about the troubles with technology on the world. The band gave listeners something serious to munch on without feeling bogged down by overwrought emotion. And never again will anybody think of robots in quite the same way.
With two full-length albums of original material to their name Grandaddy stands at the edge of a precipice of true success. They’ve already proven their worth, but it remains to be seen whether or not the band can once again impress critics and fans alike. In the meantime, a collection of rarities and b-sides will have to hold listeners over. Concrete Dunes is by no means even close to equal the aforementioned first two albums. Because the songs were never meant to go together, they don’t flow as evenly and sweetly as one would hope. A retrospective including both newer and older songs, 2002's Concrete Dunes is just a stopgap and should not be picked up by anybody except for fervent Grandaddy fans.
Is Concrete Dunes horrendous? No. It is just disappointing and without purpose. And to add to the strangeness of the release is the fact that it is actually an extension of the 1999 Broken Down Comforter Collection including many of the same songs. And one might expect there are some hidden gems in the attic of Grandaddy’s past, and in doing so they would be sorely mistaken. Most of these songs are average (a few are better, a few are worse) and rare for a reason. Though it is interesting to capture a fleeting glimpse of where the band came from and possibly where they are going. Though, I do honestly hope that their direction is going to build upon the foundation laid out on The Sophtware Slump and not anything on Concrete Dunes.
Consisting of some fifteen songs, Concrete Dunes seems to be arranged in no particular order. Songs are tossed together in a mish-mash of mediocrity and in most cases do little to further Grandaddy’s burgeoning career. The disc kicks off with Why Would I Want To Die from the soundtrack for Dream With The Fishes. The light, airy, strange, folk feel of the song is probably one of the best things about this entire album. The subject matter is mildly depressing, but the song is well played and therefore worth experiencing.
And while My Small Love is good, it is much too brief to actually allow for any joy. But the next song represents the best that Concrete Dunes has to offer. 12-Pak-599 is thick, distorted…yet nearly brilliant. It could have easily been culled from The Sophtware Slump, but instead pops up on this rather forgettable disc. The ethereal melody, Lytle’s frail vocals, and even the lyrics are worthwhile.
There are a few more decent tracks, most notably For the Dishwasher, Wretched Songs, Away Birdies With Special Sounds, and finally Fentry. For the Dishwasher is low-key, distorted, and chock full of unexpected percussion elements. It certainly ranks among the best here. More upbeat and catchy, Wretched Songs is a welcome release from the repetitively sorrowful and incredibly downbeat nature of the rest of the album. The quickened pace is broken after some time by Lytle’s wistful voice and slowed percussion. While the tempo changes are unexpected, they are nonetheless representative of what Grandaddy does best.
Away Birdies With Special Sounds winds up slowly. A song originally part of the early EP A Pretty Mess By This One Band, it could be construed as overly depressing. But that characteristic is common throughout the entire disc. Finally, the wholly instrumental Fentry is probably also worth hearing. The thick bass works well in the context of the track, and even serves to further emotionalize the already distraught nature of the samples, melody, and tempo. But in this case, dark and dour work well for Grandaddy.
But not everything is great or even good about Concrete Dunes. Gentle Spike Resort, Lava Kiss, Pre Merced, Kim You Bore Me to Death, Taster and Levitz all prove pretty unbearable and rather inconspicuous. The tone of this compilation gets old quickly. It lulls the listener to sleep, not by truly brilliantly relaxing elements rather by sound-alike pacing and melodies. For example, Gently Spike Resort feels pointless. Lytle lacks energy, and the percussion bogs the entire track down. Even the early Pre Merced proves a slight disservice to the album. It’s fuzzy and roughly assembled, something completely uncharacteristic of Grandaddy as of late.
Finally of negative note is Sikh in a Baja VW Bug. Listeners will be left wondering what the hell just hit ‘em over the head after hearing the song/skit/track/piece o’ poo. By no stretch of the wildest imagination does the track fit into any work that Grandaddy has ever done. This one was better left buried.
To certain audiences, Concrete Dunes might just be a special little find. It holds some promise and acts well as a means by which to better get to know Grandaddy. Though, less open minded fans of The Sophomore Slump will undoubtedly be thrown for a giant loop. In all, Concrete Dunes is just "okay." For fans of the band willing to break out the Prozac, pick up either Concrete Dunes or Broken Down Comforter Collection but by no means are both necessary. I will recommend this album with major reservations.
Rating: 3/5 stars
Track Listing:
01. Why Would I Want to Die | 02. My Small Love | 3. 12-Pak-599 | 04. Wretched Songs | 05. Levitz | 06. For the Dishwasher | 07. Sikh in a Baja VW Bug | 08. Lava Kiss | 09. Fentry | 10. Gentle Spike Resort | 11. Away Birdies With Special Sounds | 12. Kim You Bore Me To Death | 13. Pre Merced | 14. Taster | 15. Egg Hit and Jack Too
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