Grand Drive - A masterpiece

Posted by: greeny on 06 February 2003

I bought Grand Drive - True Love and High Adventure at the weekend and must say what a fantastic album it is.

This is available cheap (I payed £5.99) from HMV I think.

Anyway if you like the old 'alt-country' 'Americana' type stuff you will love this. It's full of sweet melodies, interesting arangements and just great songs.

For fans of Wilco, Lambchop, Mercury Rev then this (IMO) tops the lot.

Posted on: 10 February 2003 by Bruce Woodhouse

Greeny-thanks for that.

Picked it up secondhand and enjoying it so far. Not an easy album to classify, Mercury Rev without being quite so overblown and some great tunes. Reminded me of Prefab Sprout in places.

Bruce

Posted on: 11 February 2003 by greeny

Good to hear that Bruce.

Yes after buying the album I rooted out a couple of reviews, and it is compaired to Mercury Rev, but I've got to say I'm not totally taken with Mercury Rev and find this similar, but with more tunes and less concerned with trying to be different.

I'm still really enjoying this album, one of the best things i've heard for ages.

Interestingly I just noticed in Decembers 'Q' there is a review of their new album 'See the morning in' it gets a very good review (4 stars) and is described as country rock with a byrds fixation, which I guess it sort of is, but this description would likely put me off. Anyway something to look out for.

Posted on: 12 February 2003 by Bruce Woodhouse

Here's one in return, if you liked Wilco etc.

Calexico 'Feast of Wire'

Bought this new just yesterday but it is clearly stuffed full of great Tex-Mex 'alt country' tunes, embellished with strings, brass and some slightly eccentric instrumental noodling in places. Several tracks sound like they would make an excllent theme tune to a rather off-the-wall modern Western movie. Well they did to me anyway!

Worth a tenner no doubt.

Bruce