Five years since their incredible ‘Four of Arrows’ album, Seattle four-piece Great Grandpa return with ‘Patience, Moonbeam’, an expansive self-produced record that will take you on an otherworldly journey…
The album opens with an almost classical string-laden feel, the 36 seconds of ‘Sleep’ offering the perfect introduction of what’s to come next. ‘Never Rest’ stays in this sad, slow-paced and sparse space with gentle vocals saying ‘sounds nice’ gliding over gorgeous emo guitar work. Recent single ‘Junior’ follows with a swaying American Football-esque sound and love running right through it: ‘It drove me wild’.
‘When I smile, I see you laughing’ is one of the key lines from ‘Emma’, a song blessed with emotional harmonies while ‘Ladybug’ veers into a Postal Service-style sad pop sound with electronic undercurrents, stop-start hooks and group chants. There are almost hushed vocals singing about the ‘eyes of a child’ on ‘Kiss the Dice’ while ‘Doom’ lives up to its name with a more menacing vibe. There’s talk of a big mistake amidst riffs and an ominous statement of: ‘It’s funny how I need you, it’s perfect when Ieave you’.
‘Task’ is a breezy slice of chamber pop that looks at how people change after a separation – and then how it feels when you try to make sense of this during an unexpected reunion: ‘I guess I could have called you but distance destroys the pain or the blame’. The closing ‘Kid’ opens with vocoded vocals before the nostalgia kicks in, its melancholic piano complementing the yearning lyrics: ‘I thought that I might bring you here one day’.
‘Patience, Moonbeam’ is a quiet and reflective record that gently aims for the stars.
