Customer Reviews

Virginia Creeper

5 star:		(12)
4 star:		(6)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(3)

 

 

Rewind to 1992. Grunge was exploding, Jack Johnson was an up and coming surfer, and John Mayer was worrying about puberty while Grant Lee Phillips quietly released "Fuzzy", a near perfect debut album with the quasi-legendary Grant Lee Buffalo. Four star reviews and blistering live sets followed but commercial success would allude the mighty Buffalo.
The masterpiece "Mighty joe Moon" followed to lukewarm commercial results and yet more four+ star reviews.
By the time "Jubilee" had hit the bargain bin and GLB was no more, America had yawned through four outstanding releases from Grant Lee Phillips and band. Grant retreated to the basement and released the understated solo gem "Ladies love oracle" yet another quiet masterpiece to add to the catalogue. The electro-pop experiment "Mobilize" followed, bringing us here to 2004.

"Virginia Creeper" is Grant's third solo album and for the diehard Grant Lee fans the question is not "Will it be good"? but "Will it sell"? In a time where every babyfaced singer songwriter with a push from the record company sells a million records, we can only shake our heads and wonder whether America will let its criminally unknown national treasure slip into obscurity or be finally showered with long overdue commercial success. Rounder records should be able to showcase Grant Lee's talents to a new set of fans outside of the usual alt/rock crowd and to appreciators of...um...country music.
Grant Lee has always defied Genres, and he does not deserve to be thrown into the glad bag of alt/country contendors because Virginia Creeper should appeal to appreciators of all music, whether it be the harder edges of Grant Lee Buffalo or the bluegrass artists featured on Rounder.

The truth of the matter is Grant Lee's voice and a weeping pedal steel are a match made in heaven. While initially I was down on the idea of a Grant Lee "country" album, he has only succeeded in revitilising what has become a stale and stagnant genre.
The Banjo, fiddle and pedal steel have been featured on previous albums notably Mighty Joe Moon where traditional instruments were used to play not-so-traditional melodies but with "virginia creeper" we find that simplicity can indeed work gloriously.

90 seconds into the gorgeous opener "Mona Lisa" we know we are not dealing with your average run-of-the-mill singer songwriter. Grant gets more depth in each turn of phrase then anyone Ive ever heard. Combined with ethereal vocals and an aching melody we have yet another nugget of Grant Lee gold to start off Virginia Creeper on.
The album evokes shades of "Copperopolis" melodically before heading into the irresistable "Lily-a-passion". Now I of course have no idea idea what a "lily-a-passion" is but ill be tapping my foot along in the meantime. Also, I never thought Id hear Grant croon the lyric "She is a piratey soul" but then again I never thought Id hear "Damn this floor is thumping" before I got Mobilize.
Its hard to pick a weak moment on "virginia creeper" "Susanna Little" grated a little at first but now its one of my favourite songs. Another highlight is "Josephine of the swamps" which could be mistaken for a long lost Grant Lee Buffalo gem.

A few reviewers have noted Grant's incredible voice, but longtime fans are in no need of convincing in that department. The thing that stands out to me on the album is Grant's production. Some of the hooks on "Virginia Creeper" are so juicy Grant could be forgiven for pounding them into the heads of a potential radio audience. But to the contrary, the hallmark of virginia Creeper is confident restraint, the production is gloriously subtle with the result of the album seeping into the skin, growing stronger on each listen instead of grating.

Finally the closing cover of Parsons' "hickory wind" could quite possibly be the most beatiful "country" song ever recorded, Ive certainly got a tear in my beer. Absolutely sublime

That Grant Lee Phillips' solo output has not reached the same legendary indie status of his former band, Grant Lee Buffalo, more than a mystery it's a crime.
"Virginia Creeper," his third solo album, may not be as breathtaking as the hushed "Ladies Love's Oracle" nor as adventurous as "Mobilize," but it is worthy of their company.
Phillips is a remarkable songwriter, capable of the utmost intimacy at the drop of a hat, at ease with creating melodies that, before you know it, can give your thoughts its proper music.
The spare accompaniment here is flawless, mainly gorgeous violin and his acoustic guitar, subtle drums and tasteful piano, and some mandolin and steel guitar which tinge most tunes with Country overtones without lacking a Pop sensibility. Tunes like "Making Memory," "Mona Lisa" or "Always Friends" have exquisite arrangements and remind you of what a great singer Phillips is.
In total, this is an album without low points, more likely the kind where everyone may end up with different new favorites.

I too am an old time GLB fan, but Grant's previous solo records have been nothing more than passing interests for me. This record is different. It has been in my CD player non stop since I got it. In fact I am listening to it while I write this review. It has a nice mood througout the entire record. "Mona Lisa" is a great song and a great start to the record.

People are right when they say it does not compare to a GLB record, but I think almost all the songs sound like GLB songs. None of these songs, individually, would song out of place on a GLB record (except maybe Jubilee), but it is the mood of the whole album that make it different and special.

I gave up on the hope that Grant will finally be noticed by the mainstream a long time ago. Who cares? Be greatful that Grant is still putting out new music that we can all enjoy. Turn your friends on to his music and go see Grant live. It is really amazing. I envy you L.A. folks that get to see Grant @ Largo often. Check out his tour dates on his web page. He plays smaller clubs and tix are not that much, so get out to see him.

Where does Grant-Lee get his music? This man can reinvent his sound from record to record. Constant through them all, though, is his amazing lyric writing. I read the words to each of these songs the other day without the melody to back them up. Grant-Lee's songs stand on their poetic merit. Listen to the words of Susanna Little and tell me this isn't a 3 minute Steinbeck novella. Better, this song is apparently in tribute to Grant's grandmother so we've been brought into a true family tale of toughness, pain, guts. Throughout the record, gorgeous melodies underpin great writing.

This is the record I've been waiting for. It's just gorgeous, moving and poignant. My favorite of all the Phillips solo stuff and the GLB stuff. Absolutely a must have. Phillips has grown. His voice has never sounded sweeter and the songs have never been more moving and intimate. The sound of the recording is warm and sparse. You can hear every breath, every instrument, every word. Phillips is a genius. One of the five best songwriters of our generation and one of the five most beautiful voices, too. What an amazing and powerful combination. You'll love this record!

This is my first Amazon review. I always read and appreciate them, so I figure this is a great album to start with.

I've been listening to Grant since his 'Buffalo' days and have always enjoyed his music. I think it's his voice that is most intriguing to me. On his last album, Mobilize, I thought he really finally reached his potentional. On this album he has gone so much further. Yes, it's a very mellow record, but that's what he does best anyway. I highly recommend it.

Virginia Creeper, Grant Lee Phillips' new solo record, his third overall, if anyone is counting, is a masterpiece. Certainly, this is, by far, the best singer/songwriter, No Depression, AAA Format-Type CD to be released in some time. Originals Mona Lisa and Josephine of the Swamps and his cover of Gram Parsons' Hickory Wind alone are enough to make this a great CD. I can't say enough about it. This CD, along with Over the Rhine's Ohio and Robert Earl Keen, Jr.'s Farm Fresh Onions are reasons to be very optimistic about the state of American Music at the present time, certainly relative to alt. country and indie singer/songwriter genres. This record is beautifully recorded and engineered. Phillips' performances are awesome throughout. The support performances, especially Cindy Wasserman's haunting harmonies, are passionate and inspired. Congrats, Grant, on a stunning piece of work. My favorite cuts are Mona Lisa, Lily-A-Passion, Dirty Secret, Josephine of the Swamps, Wish I Knew and Hickory Wind; although every song and performance is powerful.

I'm told by reliable sources that MTV, while still ostensibly standing for Music TeleVision, is now one-hundred percent devoid of anything watchable or listenable. Not to date myself, but I can remember a time during my first year of college when this was only ninety-eight percent the case. Yes, it was a halcyon and heady day, a time when you could wait, say, eight or ten videos and finally come across something that didn't resemble everything else. I relate this because this is how I was first introduced to Grant Lee Buffalo, a band that was hard to miss sandwiched in between the likes of Live and Candlebox. To be specific, it was "Mockingbirds" from 1994's Mighty Joe Moon that was getting a little airplay, and it was unlike anything else around at the time. The song's foundation was the rising falsetto of Grant-Lee Phillips on the repeated line, "And I thought/ If I toed/ The right lines/ But these mockingbirds won't/ Let me shine..." and the video featured a guy walking around in a giant bird costume, at times with the head held under his arm. I was smitten, and I followed the band through to their eventual demise in the late nineties.

Virginia Creeper, the third and newest solo outing from Grant-Lee Phillips, takes more than a few cues from Grant-Lee's Buffalo days, particularly from the aforementioned Mighty Joe Moon. Unlike his previous release, Mobilize, Phillips scales back on the wall of sound and slick production sheen to create a sound within which his songs simply sound more at home. Banjo, acoustic bass, and the resplendent violin of Eric Gorfain come together to wrap Virginia Creeper in the Gothic Americana flavors Phillips has always been drawn to, and the results are more or less outstanding. Gorfain's string additions are particularly important, as they serve as the backbone for much of the album, bringing to mind Scarlett Rivera's essential contributions to Bob Dylan's legendary Desire.

Besides Dylan, other comparisons can be drawn to the likes of everything from the early seventies work of Van Morrison to the early eighties output of Bruce Springsteen and R.E.M. While these all represent rather elevated company for Phillips, songs like "Mona Lisa," "Lily-A-Passion," and "Calamity Jane," approach the distinction reserved for Springsteen's Nebraska or R.E.M. gems like "(Don't Go Back to) Rockville," and "Swan Swan H."

Lyrically, a melancholic nostalgia runs throughout these songs that makes them seem out of time, like they could have been created in any one of the past six or seven decades. Indeed, the writing often reads like long-forgotten traditional folk songs. Tales of heroines abound, for whatever reason, revealed by titles like, "Calamity Jane," "Josephine of the Swamps," and "Susanna Little." In the album's opener, "Mona Lisa," Phillips' chorus implores, "Ain't nothin' that stays the same/ Won't ask it a'you/ Just that burgundy smile that you wore yesterday/ Say ya won't ever lose..." Elsewhere, Phillips sings a somewhat comedic lament on "Lily-A-Passion": "Hey, she's a piratey soul/ Full a'vinegar and glitter/ She is a song of her own/ From down the wrong end o'the river/ Wild, like the lily-a-passion..." The album closes fittingly with a cover of Gram Parson's "Hickory Wind," a song right at home in sound and spirit with the rest to be found here.

Despite all of this high praise, perhaps the most rewarding aspect of Virginia Creeper is the rare voice of Grant-Lee Phillips. His warm, slightly gravely tenor has always been his strongest asset, and it sounds here like it's improving with age. While the lyrical content here is strong throughout, one gets the feeling that Phillips could sing about anything and produce engaging results.

As it already feels like an album we've been going back to for years, ala Van Morrison's Astral Weeks or any of Nick Drake's output, Virginia Creeper seems destined to become such a milestone. Meanwhile, Grant-Lee Phillips has rather quietly positioned himself as one of the most gifted singer-songwriters of our era-with or without MTV.

I had never heard of Grant-Lee Phillips until a few days ago. Now I'm wondering why he isn't more popular. This guy can sing. If you, like me, are tired of mainstream musicians who have little talent but tons of fame, give this CD a try. It's refreshing to find a true musician who hasn't been swept away by media-hype.

This album my be where grant lee finds his nitch.alot of the americana enthusists,never took claim to grant lee.I never understood that,but this cd has a more traditional folk feel to it."mona lisa","wish i knew" and his cover of gram parsons "hickory wind",are the real standouts!other worthy mentions are,"waking memory,susanna little,far side of the night and josephine of the swamps"."Dirty secrets" and "always friends" are fine tracks.