Customer Reviews

Themes for Grind

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It's no wonder this album sort of fell off the face of the earth, since it's such a weird offering, in more ways than one.

Musically, it's an odd one, because it's not the sort of music that fits into any genre. I don't mean in the pretentious, "Niravna wasn't REALLY grunge and it wasn't REALLY Nu-Metal" sort of rhetoric crap. I mean it doesn't fit anywhere, sort of like Fred Durst in a social situation (ka-zing). It's not New Age, because it's not spiritual or intentionally relaxing. Also, it doesn't tick me off, as New Age music innately tends to.

The closest you can come it instrumental, because what it REALLY is happens to be something it actually isn't. Doesn't make sense? It's a SOUNDTRACK. To a movie that doesn't exist. Will's target statement is stated clearly in the liner notes. "Grind is a film character without a film." Each track is a different "Scene", has different tone, but falls within the same spectrum of sound as the others. For instance, John Williams on Star Wars: the Imperial Death March sounded imposing and loud, the Main Titles are sweeping and grand, the tender moments bewteen characters are subtle and sweetly inflected, but the whole style is operatic. Simliarly, "Themes for Grind" is haunting. If there was a film for this, it would probably be a very dark, film-noir-ish offering, with many moments of silence from the character. I glean this just from listening.

It's also weird in that, for master-guitarist Will Sergeant, there's no face-melting licks, no solos, no hooks, no guitar to speak of. A risk move, but it illustrates Will's creativity and his heavy contirbution to Echo and the Bunnymen. Like Mac with his superlative vocals, I always consider Will to be top of the department in guitar playing, right up there with Jimi and Keef (though a markedly different sort of badassness). I wondered what a solo guitar album would be for Will and thought this might be it. Still, interesting.

Is this album worth your time? Well, sort of like that old adage, the one that goes "You don't have to be crazy to work here, but it helps!" (HAHAHAHA! SO FUNNY!), you don't HAVE to be a Bunnyman fan to enjoy this, but it helps. There are 3 reasons to buy this:

1. If you're a completist and like the Bunnymen. Do the math. Don't forget Mac's solo work too!

2. If you want a completely unique album.

3.If you want some decent background music.

Sadly, if you're only a music dabbler, this isn't for you and isn't worth your time seeking out. Pick up the Jet album instead, or the FIght Club soundtrack, if you really want something instrumental. It's sad to see such promising album phase out of existence when I have to put up with the dreck on the radio nowadays (Even the "Classic Rock" station here plays Tesla and crappy upstart local bands which hurt my head. They're "Classic Rock" because they play a Rolling Stones/Led Zeppelin/ACDC song once a day and then pound you with 23 hours of shock-jocks and purile music. I'm sorry, I digressed.).

What would I like to see done with this album? Honestly, as a tribute to the unique nature of the music, I think it would be completely (and insanely) awesome to see a movie written for the music, sort of a backwards imagining of the movie making process. It will never happen, but one can dream. Perhaps Bunnymen.com could offer a contest or something about making a student film with the soundtrack. More likely, it'll just fade away under the tide of Drowning Pool and their ilk.

Amazing sidetrip by Echo and the Bunnymen's Will Sergeant. As an owner of an original vinyl copy, I could not believe my ears after hearing the brilliantly upgraded CD edition which contains a bonus track. The members of band PAVEMENT listed this recording as one of their all time favorites and so do I.