By Holly Day
Grammar might call itself an indie-folk band, but it’s a folk band in the way Low is a “folk band,” as in, not really. The instrumentals are soft and delicate but not singsongy or campfire-ready at all, and honestly, I think that’s a good thing, because I find campfire folk music incredibly irritating. This is just good old-fashioned pop music, easy to dance to and fun to listen to.
There’s no high-tech frills (beyond the obligatory high-tech frills hat come with making any record these days) or even a discernable keyboard, just a nice, cleanly recorded guitar, drums, and bass, and the occasional ukulele and banjo, which may be where the folk music label comes from.
Lyrically, the band comes close to living up to the title, touching on the edges of frustration with domesticity and every-day, presumably married life, but never quite gets to the part where you think the male and female vocalists are angry enough to actually walk out on each other.
The album really comes across as more of a confession from both parties as to their own faults, instead of each others, whether it’s frustration at watching sports on TV, an envious examination of a stranger’s life, or admitting that following in your parents’ footsteps is the best way to end your own marriage.
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