release date: Oct. 6, 2009
format: digital
[album rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,62]
producer: uncredited [rec. by Howard Bilerman; Mark Wisti]
label: Con D'Or Records / MVD Audio - nationality: USA
Track highlights: 1. "You're the Reflection of the Moon on the Water" - 2. "Barbara" - 3. "Charles Hollis Jones" - 4. "Schoolbuses Are for Children" - 6. "California Zephyr" (acoustic live) - 7. "Sailor Jack" - 9. "My Regrets"
3rd studio album by Grant Hart follows ten years after the album Good News for Modern Man and is released via the independent label MVD Audio. Another 10 years! Well, you really cannot blame Hart for being busy releasing new material, however, he has recently founded his own record label Con D'Or and with assistance from MVD Audio, he has managed to release nine new compositions. It's no secret that Hart already back in the mid-80s found consolation in drug abuse, and unlike former band associate Bob Mould who took to rehabilation, Hart seems to have rejected just that. His '99 album was well-received by the media but as most of his releases post-Hüsker Dü the album didn't succeed commercially.
He initiated these recordings in a collaboration work with members of post-rock collective Godspeed You! Black Emperor (the band was inactive from 2003-2010), but apparently, Hart didn't feel he benefited from the work and almost halfway through he turned to MVD Audio head Mark Wisti who then helped finishing the album. The early tracks appear to be the ones recorded by Bilerman (tracks #1, #2, #4, #9). Much in concordance with his two previous solos, Hart plays most instruments on his own except from occasional string sections.
Stylewise, this is difficult to narrow in, although there are traits from a post rock influence on tracks #2 and #9, but it mainly comes out as modern pop / rock or indie rock with references to traditional 1960s music of folk rock, psychedelic rock and baroque pop reminding the world about Jefferson Airplane and Scott Walker.
Grant Hart is one of America's big secrets. Those who know of him, praise his music and his few albums, and as with his previous releases Hot Wax contains truly fine music without reaching the same level as he demonstrates on his '99-album.
[ allmusic.com 4 / 5 stars ]
