Customer Reviews

Pretty Mess By This One Band

5 star:		(3)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Every great band starts on a foundation of not-great-but-good music. And so is Grandaddy's present sound built on "A Pretty Mess By This One Band," a psychedelic-acoustic collection of songs -- grittier and less polished, but still worth checking out.

The distant float-away "Away Birdies W/Special Sounds" is grounded by the constant guitar-strumming. Following it are some laid-back rockers ("Taster," the buzzing "Pre-Merced") and ethereal ballads (the piano-led "Peeano," the folky "Gentle Spike Resort"), wrapping up with the harmonica-rocker "Egg Hit and Jack Too."

Grandaddy was close, but not yet at their apex with these songs. They're rough and a little uncertain, like the band wasn't quite sure what was going to come next for them musically. But it was on this base that their vibrant indie-rock CDs of the present are set on, and if you listen, you can hear hints in songs like "Gentle Spike Resort" ("We'll get right on that/I'm sure it's just the thermostat...")

Certainly the post-grunge psychedelica shows plenty of range. There are folky acoustic guitars and buzzing electric ones, a gentle piano solo and what sounds like a harmonica. Normal rock, this ain't. But the music rises and falls in true Grandaddy style, and Jason Lytle's singsongy voice is in fine form here.

For fans of Grandaddy, "A Pretty Mess by This One Band" is a fun but not compelling collection of early Grandaddy. It contains little rumblings of genius, but they weren't quite there yet.

I love Grandaddy, and you should, too. This album is a firm foundation upon which Sophtware Slump and Western Freeway were built. The distinct sound of the band is present in this early release. It forshadows the masterpiece Western Freeway the most, as it calls upon both electronica and traditional acoustic workings to paint an ethereal yet firmly grounded menage of sound. The cool and sometime subdued sound of Grandaddy is what makes them so appealing. Taster is a perfect example of a song being laid back but hard at the same time. It never quite reaches full speed but is powerful throughout with high-pitched vocals to keep us overly interested. I like this album, it makes me quite happy...

I picked up this album after being turned on to "Software Slump" which is a 2000 release and was thrilled! This album is simply fantastic. The guitar hooks are basic but very catchy and the band has a quality that I haven't seen before.

Think of Pavement mixed with a trucker driving along I-99 (in Central California for those who do not live in the golden state) and you'll get what im talking about. Its not as sound effects oriented as Pavement and not as disonant as Sonic Youth and simply lies somewhere in between. I think this band has moved into a more record company oriented (or Pink Floyd) type of sound on Software Slump but think this album is a hallmark of Indie music that is an untouched gem.

A must buy if you are a fan of bands like Nirvana, Pavement, and Smashing Pumpkins but are looking for whats next for that type of sound.

Having been bitten by the "S.Slump" bug (as in, can't get that damned CD out of my player!), I have been going-back into Grandaddy's catalogue to see what other gems are to be found. While nowhere near as polished or addictive as "S.Slump", this debut E.P. does show that the band has been onto a pretty good sound for a while now. The songs are somewhat sketchy and not nearly as fleshed-out as the more recent releases, but it's still quite good, well worth checking-out. I've seen many stores charging full-price for this release-- if you are looking to flesh-out your Grandaddy collection and include this release, do yourself a favour and order it from Amazon! At this price, you're sure to be happy with what is best described as a 'very promising debut'.

I have just recently been turned on to the great Grandaddy and now have most of their albums. I think this is the first one and it really shows their roots with a kind of magical beauty. I highly recommend this album!

I bought this album after 'Sopftware Slump'. Where was I? I just still can't believe I haven't heard this band before. Grandaddy's music is not just addictive, is well crafted / played, something that lacks at least the 90 percent of bands labeled as 'grunge'. Even as this CD is not so sofisticated as 'Sophtware Slump', you can listen how well thought is the noisy guitar playing in songs like 'Kim You Bore Me to Death' (pay special attention to this one- is anthological). Check this album. It's worth it.

This is a great glimpse of the wicked cool amazingness to come from this outstanding band. Lo-fi experimental pop that i kept on repeat for days. I know some people who didn't like this EP nearly as much as the bands later work (if at all) but i consider these people all crazy. While very little can match Grandaddy's newer releases, this is a must have for fanss of the band.

this is a terrific little album. in some ways, it exhibits more charm than sophtware slump, which has been acclaimed over and over again as the bands "masterpiece." the roots of that album are clearly evident on this recording, but "a pretty mess..." has lower production values and less pretension perhaps. the songs are less restrained by over-dubbing and sluggish keyboards. they are allowed to breathe. it's quite hard to believe that this album was originally released in 1995. of course, bands have been "experimental" since the 60's as far as pop is concerned, but compared to what else was out there in 95, with the exception of the flaming lips or mercury rev and the like, these guys must have sounded quite ahead of their time. compared to what critical darlings radiohead releaseed at the time, this album is miles ahead of whiny thom yorke and his brethern.

like two songs are good on this cd, the rest is trash. weak songs by grandaddy.