Grampall Jookabox
"Ropechain" CD
Joyful
Noise
/ Asthmatic
Kitty
Genre: weirdo folk, weirdo pop,
experimental rock
Indianapolis, IN
Jan 7, 2009 |
I absolutely adored Grampall Jookabox's first album, Scientific
Cricket, which was a blistering medley of cassette tape choruses and
campfire chants. So when I heard about Ropechain, newly affiliated
with Sufjan Stevens' Asthmatic Kitty imprint, my juices immediately
started running clear.
And any way you cut it, this is a great record. From the opening
backmasking of "Black Girls," which pounds along in a whirl of anthemic glory, it is clear that
Ropechain is far more vast and
sweeping than its predecessor. Indeed, the closed-commune vibe of
Scientific Cricket has been replaced by an unmistakably grander
approach. Perhaps the result of improved production values, this more
expansive feel is an advancement of the Grampall Jookabox sound
- the
gist of their earlier work is retained, but it's been injected with an
extra oomph.
As was the case on the last record, Grampall Jookabox's more
unusual creations are often its most satisfying. The fast-forward
vocal track of "Ghost" produces an eerie but insanely catchy blip of a
track, whereas the soulful stomp-chant employed on "The Girl Ain't
Preggers," replete with monster falsetto, is a surefire party hit.
Also mesmerizing is the loopy "We Know We Might Be Fucked," although
things seem to whimper a little near album's end - "Strike Me Down" is
much less juicily satisfying than the record's other tracks, while "I'm Absolutely Freaked Out" is warm and fluid but perhaps in need of
a more immediate hook.
As it stands, Ropechain is all soul. Intelligently written and
undeniably fun, it will go down as one of this year's best,
as well as the
next step in the burgeoning legacy of Grampall Jookabox. You,
dear reader, are urged to go out and buy this record as soon as you can. It
will eat you whole.
grampall jookabox's myspace
88%
youuuuuuuutube!:
"the girl ain't preggers" video,
"black girls"
video (unofficial)
Matt Shimmer
[Vitals: 11 tracks, distributed by
the
label,
released Nov 2008] |
