Categories : Folk + Roots, Music Reviews, Rock + Pop.
 |
Rating: 3.5 / 5 Reviewer: Trent Depue |
The sophomore release from Seattle-based indie pop band Grand Archives at an initial glance could be looked upon as a bit of a sleeper. Generally slow paced melodies figure through the vast majority of the record, but thankfully the bands strong points are sufficient to distract from the pace of the songs, and veer the listeners focus to the finer points of their talents.
The driving force of most, if not all, of Keep in Mind Frankenstein is the band’s obvious talent for harmonies. Even more impressive is the sheer consistency of those harmonies, which makes it difficult to pick and choose the songs on which they do it best – though ‘Oslo Novelist’ is an obvious standout, with guest vocalist Jenn Ghetto giving it an added vocal push.
Frankenstein is a little stripped down musically, but the understated addition of some instrumentation on a few tracks is effective, surprisingly so in some cases. A simple harmonica on ‘Left for All the Strays’ adds one such dynamic, while subtle yet impacting pedal steel on ‘Oslo Novelist,’ ‘Siren Echo Valley (Part 2)’ and the album’s best track, ‘Dig That Crazy Grave,’ are the most poignant demonstrations of this point.
On Keep in Mind Frankenstein, Mat Brooke and company assemble a slow-paced record, which could be looked at as a negative in certain light. If not in the right mood this one could be difficult to appreciate. Quietly, though, it’s a fantastic listen with something to give on every track.
