08-09-2006, 08:06 AM
I was first introduced to the folk-psychedlia of Grandaddy by watching a video of their Glastonbury 2004 performance. I was so entranced by these bearded yahoos playing melodic, trippy rock that I ran out and bought their current release "Sumday".
Still reeling from its brilliance I rushed out and bought "The Sophtware Slump". I couldn't rush out and buy any more albums because my brain had turned to jelly in the face of such magnificence! Such perfection!
Not since "Dark Side of the Moon" was I so enthralled by an album.
Did you pick up that I like Grandaddy?
Well, I guess I was the last one on the boat because they broke up before I could see them live.
Turns out the Modesto, CA group had been together for 14 years, garnering criticul acclaim and cult fandom but never being able to quit their day jobs (so to speak). How long do you hang in there? You have to throw in the towel at some point and move on.
Grandaddy did just that one month before the release of their last album "Just Like the Fambly Cat". That final album is as inspired and wonderful as "Sumday". Filled with poppy hooks, crunchy guitars and blooping keyboards that would do Mr. Moog proud it's a fitting farewell for these unsung heroes.
Jason Lytle, Grandaddy's vocalist/songwriter moved to an undisclosed location in Montana after doing a few solo record-store appearances (I caught the one at Amoeba records in Berkeley).
He must have enjoyed the small, acoustic settings because he decided to launch a solo summer tour. Two of these dates were at the tiny Cafe du Nord in San Francisco (see - there is a review in here somewhere!).
After a delicious meal of Papadums, Samosas and vegetables in a cocoanut curry sauce we headed over to the venue. We grabbed a table far from the stage (almost 20 feet away) and nursed Irish coffees while we endured the opening act (Nick Freitas - folksinger). Whoever decided weeknight shows needed to start at 9:30PM AND have an opening act that plays for an hour needs to get a job.
Jason took the stage at 10:45. He had one musician to back him up and that was more than enough. They both sat at synthsizers with acoustic guitars slung across their chests. They turned on the drum machines, tapped percussion instruments and tweaked the knobs on the synthesizers all the while playing guitar and singing.
Jason's tortured angst-ridden voice crooned songs of loss, loneliness and travelling felines as his friend Rusty sang choruses through a mike that was filtered to sound like an old radio. "Jed the Humanoid", "Hewlett's Daughter", "The Saddest Vacant Lot in All the World, "Summer...(It's Gone)", "Elevate Myself", "Jed's Other Poem" and more drifted through the room like sonic smoke, electric songs perfectly arranged for an acoustic duo.
The encore was a cover of Sheryl Crow's "Always on Your Side" (which I only know because I just looked it up. Sheryl Crow sucks.
Afterwards we wandered back to the car, sleepy but happy.
Grandaddy - You will be missed.
Still reeling from its brilliance I rushed out and bought "The Sophtware Slump". I couldn't rush out and buy any more albums because my brain had turned to jelly in the face of such magnificence! Such perfection!
Not since "Dark Side of the Moon" was I so enthralled by an album.
Did you pick up that I like Grandaddy?
Well, I guess I was the last one on the boat because they broke up before I could see them live.
Turns out the Modesto, CA group had been together for 14 years, garnering criticul acclaim and cult fandom but never being able to quit their day jobs (so to speak). How long do you hang in there? You have to throw in the towel at some point and move on.
Grandaddy did just that one month before the release of their last album "Just Like the Fambly Cat". That final album is as inspired and wonderful as "Sumday". Filled with poppy hooks, crunchy guitars and blooping keyboards that would do Mr. Moog proud it's a fitting farewell for these unsung heroes.
Jason Lytle, Grandaddy's vocalist/songwriter moved to an undisclosed location in Montana after doing a few solo record-store appearances (I caught the one at Amoeba records in Berkeley).
He must have enjoyed the small, acoustic settings because he decided to launch a solo summer tour. Two of these dates were at the tiny Cafe du Nord in San Francisco (see - there is a review in here somewhere!).
After a delicious meal of Papadums, Samosas and vegetables in a cocoanut curry sauce we headed over to the venue. We grabbed a table far from the stage (almost 20 feet away) and nursed Irish coffees while we endured the opening act (Nick Freitas - folksinger). Whoever decided weeknight shows needed to start at 9:30PM AND have an opening act that plays for an hour needs to get a job.
Jason took the stage at 10:45. He had one musician to back him up and that was more than enough. They both sat at synthsizers with acoustic guitars slung across their chests. They turned on the drum machines, tapped percussion instruments and tweaked the knobs on the synthesizers all the while playing guitar and singing.
Jason's tortured angst-ridden voice crooned songs of loss, loneliness and travelling felines as his friend Rusty sang choruses through a mike that was filtered to sound like an old radio. "Jed the Humanoid", "Hewlett's Daughter", "The Saddest Vacant Lot in All the World, "Summer...(It's Gone)", "Elevate Myself", "Jed's Other Poem" and more drifted through the room like sonic smoke, electric songs perfectly arranged for an acoustic duo.
The encore was a cover of Sheryl Crow's "Always on Your Side" (which I only know because I just looked it up. Sheryl Crow sucks.
Afterwards we wandered back to the car, sleepy but happy.
Grandaddy - You will be missed.
![[Image: magpie13.gif]](http://imagegen.last.fm/LastfmLiveJournal/recenttracks/magpie13.gif)