Blood Sea Dream by Grand Lake
LABEL: Had Records

Oakland’s Grand Lake have presented a debut full-length that is fully formed in its sound, with variance from song to song—without taking huge leaps in genre in an attempt to please everybody. It’s easy to understand that this output is the result of having sporadically worked together over 15 years while touring with several different acts. They have a unique approach that is both inviting and catchy with clear arrangements and interesting sonic experiments that place them in the company of more established acts (and sonic brethren) like Spoon.

“They have the ability to go from dark musical territory...to...spare and spacious, opening up and showing that they are not afraid to let the vocals stand out almost completely unaccompanied.”

Songs like “Carporforo” and “Oedipus Hex (Highway 1 North)” chart bluesy territory with lead guitar lines weaving through the vocals, evoking the sound of early Dire Straits tunes like “Down to the Waterline” or “Sultans of Swing.” The guitar echoes as it fades away from melodic lines adhering to a consistent discipline throughout the album that is concerned with the proper use of musical space. The bass picks up the role of a rhythm guitarist in its ever-present, sometimes distortion drenched thickness while drummer John Pomeroy changes things up in the background. Their sonic palette does not simply consist of lead electric guitar, bass and drums, though. Grand Lake employs the sound of a string quartet in several tracks, acoustic guitar as harmonic backdrop when necessary and glockenspiel in places. These new sounds never take over, and are never too much, they serve the songs well with vocals and clean guitar work always front and center.

Most notable is “Our Divorce,” sounding like something taken directly from the Jeff Buckley songbook. The string quartet serves as accompaniment to this mid-tempo waltz with a gently swaying guitar melody that blissfully careens through the chorus, ducking from major to minor with ease. Contrast this with “Spark,” which is a bit more aggressive and grows to a loud climax that is simultaneously shouted and pounded out on the drums. The contrast is welcomed but we never stray too far from home, even with the almost ambient drone of “Threnody for F.A. Mesmer,” a respite placed just after the middle of the album.

Opening track “It Takes a Horse to Light a House” sounds like the best candidate for a radio-friendly single on an album that is chock full of catchy hooks and tight songwriting. The memorable melody in the verse, set against a spacious arrangement of electronics and delicate guitar work would fare well on any college radio station, but it certainly doesn’t define the album in its entirety.

Blood Sea Dream revels in its contrasts, but the band manages to keep a singular sound throughout. They have the ability to go from dark musical territory in “Concrete Blonde on Blonde (880 South)” to “Riderless Horse” which is spare and spacious, opening up and showing that they are not afraid to let the vocals stand out almost completely unaccompanied.

Grand Lake’s focus on tight songwriting and musicality with special attention paid to clear arrangements pays off. Blood Sea Dream is a solid way to bring a full-length debut into the world.


REVIEWED BY ADAM SHANLEY
ADAM’S FAVE TRACKS: “It Takes a Horse to Light a House” • “Our Divorce" • “Riderless Horse”
Read more from Adam on his blog, Quartertonality


FREE MP3: “Louise” (right-click & save)