What is it with Jason Lytle and robots/computers? The man must surely be a mentalist writing lyrics about robots having to work in the dark because the supervisor turned the light out...?
Mentalist or not, yer man from Modesto, Ca., has - with the help of his fine bandmates -
just produced an album which has entered with a bullet into Alan's top five albums of all
time. I kid you not, I like it that much.
My top five albums of all-time are not your usual fare. Don't salute Sgt. Pepper here or expect a Thriller, my choice is purely my own - my own taste, unique and unusual. For a kick-off, I've only ever been sure of three, which makes the placing of Sumday at number four (for the time being) even more remarkable. That it joins the Weddoes' "Seamonsters", REM's "Automatic for the People" and Neil Hannon's "Promenade" in my list will not interest many people, but believe it - it is a landmark!
So what is it that makes it stand out, then? Well, It doesn't blow you away at first that's for sure. No, like at least two of the other three records in my top five, "Sumday" is a relatively slow-burner. Its ultimately exceptional (to my ears) qualities lie in the consistency; the fact that it flows in an almost thematic way. It is truly a body of work, as opposed to a cobbled together combination of compositions. Fortunately for me, I was already a Grandaddy fan before this record was even released, so I was prepared to give it due care and attention.
I can easily see how newcomers to the band wouldn't instantly succumb to this album's charms, though. It is really quite understated and mid-paced; unchallenging on the surface, but - as I noticed during the recent gig in Manchester - contains just enough 'tricks' to keep you interested. And once you're interested, it isn't long before the sumptuous melodies start invading your mind when you least expect it. The titles don't make a lot of sense, but "Yeah Is What We Had" is such a beautiful track. It doesn't rely a lot on instrumentation - Grandaddy do use what they have at their disposal to good effect usually - but melody-wise it is incredible.
The song that follows that ("Saddest Vacant Lot In All The World") is the only song on the album that does 'feel' slightly different to the other 11, but even so as a listener you are not going to be thrown off the scent. For a start, "Stray Dog And The Chocolate Shake" brings you back into the fray spectacularly.
There are two songs on here that weigh in at over six minutes - "Lost On Yer Merry Way" and "OK With My Decay" - but you couldn't accuse Grandaddy of over-indulgence on these occasions. Both are songs that strike a mood and a feel and never make you feel disinterested.
All in all, a work of rare genius.
Alan, 18/07/2003