Grand Archives : The Grand Archives

<img src="http://www.qromag.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/02/grandarchivesTGA.jpg" alt=" " />Smooth and flowing, Grand Archives' debut is 70's country mixed with 90's Britpop for a darkly upbeat, mid-tempo rock experience.  ...
6.4 Sub Pop
2008 

 Smooth and flowing, Grand Archives' debut is 70's country mixed with 90's Britpop for a darkly upbeat, mid-tempo rock experience.  Mat Brooke's deep vocals caress acoustic strums and light riffs while bouncing rhythms drive most of The Grand Archives.   Despite some seemingly downhearted elements, the album is far and away a pleasant, but sobering, effort.

A relatively organic brand of indie pop, The Grand Archives represents a care-free swing towards a fashion-less, disconnected scene.  With slow, deliberate melodies that would make John Denver blush, the band's debut is a thorough lesson in relaxation while a few memorable tunes drift by.  While horns send "Miniature Birds" careening towards a cheesy cliff's edge, the harmony on "Swan Matches" is downright genuine and affecting.  A few tracks like the opening "Torn Blue Foam Couch" and "Index Moon" crank the pace and volume up, but tracks like the mellow "George Kaminski" and "Sleepdriving" are where the album shines most.  Even "Breezy No Breezy" flirts with the band's artistic side using a woodshed's collection of instruments.

The Grand Archives might be the nicest record you meet all year, as its innocence oozes from every song.  It's like a hug at a party or a cup of coffee when you need time to think.  It doesn't try to exceed its own smooth boundaries, and can be appreciated for that.

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