release date: May 1, 2000
format: cd
[album rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,52]
producer: Grant-Lee Phillips
label: Cooking Vinyl - nationality: USA
Track highlights: 1. "You're a Pony" - 2. "Heavenly" - 3. "Squint" - 4. "Don't Look Down" - 5. "Flamin' Shoe" - 7. "Lonesome Serenade" - 9. "St. Expedite" - *10. "Snow Flakes"
*[Bonus track on Cooking Vinyl issue]
Studio solo debut by Grant-Lee Phillips (aka Bryan Grant Phillips), former lead vocalist of Grant Lee Buffalo, who disbanded in early '99 after four critically acclaimed albums and their swan song album Jubilee (Jun. 1998). On this his first solo release, Grant-Lee is only producer, just as he preferably would continue on future solo issues. The album is predominantly acoustic in an alt-country and americana folk rock-style with focus on the narrative, thus making it a singer / songwriter album. Originally, the album was released by the small independent label, Rounder Records as an online issue only. I have really come to enjoy the music by Grant-Lee but it has taken me several years, and my general perspective on his music is that it may require a certain amount of exposure and repetitive listens to fully appreciate it.
My initial thoughts of this was a somewhat bleak and anonymous album, but it's really much more than that. It just needs maturing. Today, I find that all the songs on the album are more than just fine and on a high level, although, the album lacks obvious hits, and also reflects too little variation.
[ allmusic.com 3,5 / 5 stars ]
