Avoid The Hype And Sebastien Grainger

Dear Friend,

I just had the wind taken out of my sails. I was about to rail against  the current crop of indie rock know-it-alls who believe they are the  be all and end all to rock criticism.

Sure they get something’s right  like the debut records by Interpol, The Strokes et al. But after listening to the latest musical output by ex-Death From Above 1979’s Sebastien Grainger I was sure that the rock crits were salivating over the deity that is Grainger. It seems not, outside of a few isolated circles, Mr. Grainger’s new album is being universally panned. I seem to be in the majority (a surprise to me, for sure). 

The eponymous release by Sebastien Grainger & The Mountains is fuckin’ dull as…as the…well I stumped for an analogy.  At its best, Grainger has captured the sound of The Miniatures, without Ian Smith’s commanding sense of melody. Songs like the previously released, “American Names” and “I Hate My Friends” pander to the neu-glam that has permeated the indie rock landscape recently. Save your money, don’t even waste your time bit torrenting this trite album. Search out your local used record store for ether of The Miniature’s albums (Coma Kid and Dead Flowers) and discover one of Ontario’s best kept secrets.

regards

Chris Burland