By Stan Cierlitsky
Wow! Grandaddy's 6th album, Blu Wav comes out February 16 on Dangerbird Records. The title is supposed to be a "mash-up" of sorts between bluegrass and New Wave, and yeah, that sort of describes the record perfectly. Before I read this in the press release, the description that came to my mind was a sad space age Hank Williams Sr. album. I guess either one works. The thing that surprised me the most about this record is the absence of third-person observations of quirky people. Those have been some of my favorite Jason Lytle songs. "Getting Jipped" (now released to everyone on last year's Sumday: Excess Baggage), "Florida", and "Stray Dog and the Chocolate Shake" are three of my favorites that tell incredible stories of people I feel like I need to meet before I die. On Blu Wav Lytle turns his sights inward and the results are incredibly beautiful.
We got our first taste from Blu Wav on last October's "Watercooler" single release. I loved this song when I first heard it. Honestly, I wondered why he started out with a slower song (I guess compared to the first single "Way We Won't" from 2017's Last Place). Turns out it's the only song on the album with a guitar solo, and one of the more upbeat songs on the record. But, trust me, that’s not meant as a criticism. As a guy who's getting older, and as a guy that spends a lot of time hiking in the woods, I feel like I can definitely relate to a lot of songs on this album.
The second taster that came out last year was "Cabin in my Mind". It just might be my favorite song on the album. I'm guessing the song is mostly about lost love, but the way he wrote this song, it works for trying to deal with any significant loss in your life. Sadly, I lost my mom four days before this song came out. I spent a lot of time thinking about her listening to this song while hiking in the woods.
I should mention that even though the album shows 13 tracks, four of them are more interludes, or instrumentals. They do a nice job of setting the tone on the record and bridging the other songs on Blu Wav. "Let's Put This Pinto on the Moon" is my favorite of these just because it gets extra space age-y.
My other favorite song on the album is "You're Going to Be Fine and I'm Going to Hell". The lyrics are just so good. This is clearly about dealing with a lost love who's apparently turned the page. "Well we lost out on love and now you're better off. / But for me it's not going so well. / You're going to be fine and I'm going to hell." It pains me to say this, but the vibes I'm getting from this album are the same I used to get from Purple Mountains. To me, that album was a masterpiece, and this isn't far off.
If you're looking for uplifting, quirky songs, you aren't going to find them here. Considering Jason Lytle has released music eponymously, I am a little surprised that this was released as a Grandaddy record. This album is about as introspective and personal as a record can be. If you're a glass half-full person, maybe you can find some tidbits here. On the song, "Ducky, Boris and Dart", Lytle is eulogizing some little animals thats he's had run-ins with. "Well, thank you my friend, but this ain't the end. / We'll meet again." Again, sad but beautiful, and one of the only tracks on Blu Wav that hits that quirky vibe of earlier releases from the band.
Finally, I wanted to talk about "Nothin' to Lose", the last proper song on the album. It doesn't feel out of place at all, but it's apparently a preview of what's to come from Jason Lytle. "Cut and run / Towards the sun / Our work here'ss done / Hang a right / Those distant lights / That's me tonight." According to Lytle, "A lot of the songs for the next album already exist." "Nothin' to Lose" is Lytle's way of saying, "Thanks for showing up. Here's what to look forward to next." After hearing this album, I trust Lytle completely, and will gladly accept whatever he puts out. Let's just not wait seven more years for the next one.
Blu Wav by Grandaddy is out on February 16 on Dangerbird Records.
[Photo: Dustin Aksland]