release date: Sep. 28, 2009
format: cd
[album rate: 2,5 / 5] [2,58]
producer: Richard Rainey
label: Playground - nationality: Denmark
Track highlights: 2. "Nowhere Now" (live) - 3. "Follow You Down" (3,5 / 5) - 5. "Control" - 9. "Coming Up"
4th and so far final studio album by Grand Avenue, and the second consecutive album to be produced by Richard Rainey. It's the first album after the band's three-album contract with EMI, now released on the independent Scandinavian label, Playground Music. Again, the musical style doesn't reveal a band in progress. These songs could easily have been released with its second album She from 2005. It's indie pop and pop / rock. It's nice, it's well-played, well-produced, and a bit on the polished side, but it doesn't take you anywhere. It's like... 'Yeah?' And? It's a bit boring, and in my mind the band's least interesting album, almost without decent songs, which is a bit of a shame 'cause they are skilled musicians, but frankly, they play without any direction, and what's worse: without a mission. Where are the emotions. What point is there in playing songs that sound as if you had put R.E.M., U2, Travis, and Coldplay in a pot? At this point, I rarely noticed the band was still around, and it's no surprise that it ended on with this. From the start, they seemed to be on a slope, and things weren't getting better. In Denmark the album peaked at #18 on the album charts list. As far as I know, Grand Avenue never officially disbanded but in 2011, Rasmus Walter initiated a more successful solo career when launching his eponymous and critically acclaimed singer / songwriter and pop / rock debut album consisting of songs entirely with Danish lyrics. The cover art is credited Rasmus Walters brother, Anders Walter Hansen.
[ Gaffa.dk 2 / 6 stars ]
