In the wake of the hushed but genuine sadness over Grandaddy's split, things have been pretty quiet. Jim Fairchild is the first among the former members to release a solo album - under the name All Smiles.
As the acoustic rhythm of the band, Fairchild keeps the same theme as Ten Readings of A Warning recalls their charm and pace. Assertive, mid-tempo acoustic tracks mixed with pub piano and airy vocals ensure that post-Grandaddy Fairchild is indeed All Smiles.
Revealed Ten Readings of A Warning, Fairchild's voice is timid and light-hearted, which fits nicely on soft-stepping acoustic jaunts. His vocals are melancholy, innocent, and playful as they flow with an agile pace. "Summerstay" opens with a swinging strum and Fairchild's light "dooo-doo-doo"s. The tracks that follow have various degrees of a similar rolling pace. "Pile Of Burning Of Burning Leaves" strips away the percussion, while "Moth In A Cloud Of Smoke" coolly adds electricity and bouncing piano. Throughout Ten Readings of A Warning, Fairchild keeps a passive-aggressive noose around each song with his floating vocals.
Jim Fairchild's unassuming voice and toe-tapping rhythms are the gravity of an album that's rolling down a grassy hill. What Ten Readings of A Warning may lack in energy, it makes up for in next-door neighbor pleasantness. It's one of the "nicest" albums of the year.
MP3 Stream: "Summerstay"
-Megan Waters
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