Grand Archives: The Grand Archives (2008)-Ethan Smith
Grand Archives: The Grand Archives (2008)
By Ethan Smith
Being a Mat Brooke fan boy I was very much looking forward to this album. While I didn’t much care for his work with Band of Horses, I adored Carissa’s Weird. Hearing he was going to be at the front of things again I was excited. Yet slightly worried. I didn’t really want to hear Carissa’s Weird part 2. As much as I loved them, I just didn’t feel it would be pulled off well and he doesn’t give you that. Like Carissa’s Weird this album has a melancholic air about it it’s very much different. Sonically though, it’s more upbeat and it draws from a well of entirely different influences.
The album opens with Torn Blue Foam Couch, which presents you with a very warm sound and layered vocals; it also steadily builds throughout the track. All qualities that you will see reoccur throughout the album. As I said before this album is upbeat. Almost to the point of shocking. Is that whistling I hear? From the man who created Songs about Leaving? Yes, it is and the change is welcome. I have very few problems with this release. I’ve heard a lot of people complain about how produced it is but I think it does nothing but add to the warm atmosphere of the album. However, one complaint has been how the album does sound repetitive. And while I love each and every song, the whole sound and don’t have a problem with this, it is still an accurate statement. It’s a very hard release to pick out songs from, but I think that mostly has to do with the layered vocal delivery.
Grand Archives shows Mat Brooke stepping away from his roots and growing as a songwriter. He adds some very unique touches to this and some of these songs. Particularly “Sleepdriving." The songs are as hypnotic as they are unique. This is a name to watch out for.
Copyright C. 2008 Ethan Smith