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We were really excited to receive this as a promo last year, because Gram is an acquaintance of ours and we love his old band Schrasj. He's had a few other bands since then, but here he does the solo thing. I have to admit that the first time I listened to this I was pretty taken aback; I didn't know what to make of its loosely-structured pop experimentation. Picking it up now, though, I'm enjoying it a lot more. Gram sounds like he's having fun playing in his home studio, and various musical and lyrical ideas spill forth seemingly unfiltered. There's a loose, laid-back feel, and melodies, basslines, humorous lyrics, and beats (both electronic and acoustic) unexpectedly pop in and out and combine in interesting and surprising ways. The overall effect is like a sonic collage or sketchbook, giving a snapshot of the inside of Gram's brain.
In less-capable hands, this could be tedious and self-indulgent, but Gram has the skills and ideas to pull it off. If you're looking for pop perfection, this isn't what you seek, but it's not often that a pop recording comes along that enjoyably showcases the creative process like this. (mike.06.02)
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