lambchops's Full Review: The Sophtware Slump by Grandaddy
California-based band Grandaddy is probably best compared to Radiohead. A clean, appealing mix of indie rock and spacey electronic melodies, the band’s style is a worthwhile listen even if at times it leaves the listener feeling drained and depressed.
Formed in 1992 by Jason Lytle (vocals/guitar), Kevin Garcia (bass), and Aaron Burtch (drums) Grandaddy recorded a few minor works before adding the talent of guitarist Jim Fairchild and keyboardist Tim Dryden to the mix. It was with this five-man lineup that the Modesto band finally recorded their EP debut 1996’s A Pretty Mess By This One Band. That mini-album and the next, Under the Western Freeway were both independent releases with the latter of the two being the superior album.
It was with The Sophtware Slump that the band fully came into their own. Throughout this shining third album, the quirky melodies perfectly mingle with Lytle’s fragile vocal style. It’s his voice, tonally similar to Matthew Sweet, which truly makes each of eleven songs feel whole. But also of extremely important note are the shimmering electronic and keyboard elements. While many bands attempt to sound this poignant, few come off honestly. Grandaddy managed to assemble a near-brilliant and absolutely compelling album. And an album it is; complete from beginning to end, The Sophtware Slump is an intelligent, understated, and complete vision, a vision that bluntly addresses the societal disintegration caused in part by technology and computers.
Sounding more like a British band than a Californian one, Grandaddy is an amazing find for any and all fans of indie pop. And to fans of the mini-genre there are a few somewhat recognizable tracks in the form of the creatively free and utterly amazing Hewlett’s Daughter and my personal favorite The Crystal Lake. While both have their fair share of groovy, harmonious melodies, the latter encompasses everything I most enjoy with indie rock. Whirling keyboards, swirling electric guitars, and delicate vocals come together seamlessly into a truly captivating product. And while a lot of bands can’t write their way out of a paper bag, Lytle is a talented lyricist:
The crystal lake it only laughs,
it knows you're just a modern man,
it's shining like the chandelier,
shining somewhere
far away from here.
And then there’s Jed The Humanoid, a song about a lonely, alcoholic former friend. Oh yeah, Jed is a robot. Obviously, this is a strange track but it’s also extremely thoughtful. Grandaddy, and Lytle for that matter, is keenly aware of the problems with technology. That we as people humanize inanimate objects, worship and love them. But on the same token, we also are fickle. Just as quick as we come to adore such a thing we lose interest. It’s a sad story yet completely worth the time it takes to listen to it. This story of poor Jed continues on Jed’s Other Poem. He was a sad, disillusioned, robot that really despite lacking normal human emotions should have been paid more attention.
Similarly, Broken Household Appliance National Forest directly addresses more technology related problems. Once your toaster, microwave, air conditioner, or refrigerator stops working where does it go? Why not to a massive national forest? Sure the idea is funny, but again Grandaddy makes listeners consider such questions. Again, the lyrics are strangely fascinating:
Sit on the toaster like a rock
no need to worry about a shock
all of the microwaves are dead
just like the salamander said
the refrigerators house the frogs
the conduit is the hollow log
The Sophtware Slump is an engaging, intelligent listen. Released in 2000, the album got little attention and even fewer people bought it. The reason for this omission escapes me. It is without question a lovely album…despite its bleakness. Other songs like He’s Simple, He’s Dumb, He’s the Pilot, Miner at the Dial-A-View and So You’ll Aim Toward The Sky are also worth hearing but only truly make sense in the context of this album. Grandaddy is of a rare breed in America. Rather than relying on straight rock or on pop, the band turns inward and plays from their collectively poetic heart.
Rating: 5/5 stars
Track Listing:
01. He’s Simple, He’s Dumb, He’s the Pilot
02. Hewlett’s Daughter
03. Jed the Humanoid
04. The Crystal Lake
05. Chartsengrafs
06. Underneath the Weeping Willow
07. Broken Household Appliance National Forest
08. Jed’s Other Poem (Beautiful Ground)
09. E. Knievel Interlude
10. Miner at the Dial-A-View
11. So You’ll Aim Toward The Sky
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