You could be forgiven thinking that Grant Lee Buffalo was still around if you heard what Grant-Lee Phillips was doing in his solo career. His music is not so drastically different that it makes much sense to the outsider why that band had to end, but then it doesn't matter much either way - the quality work continues, and that's all that really matters. Phillips still churns out solid singer-songwriter material with folky roots-rock as its basis, his characteristic cracked and soaring croon still sounding as strong as it did back in the Buffalo heyday. What you couldn't be forgiven for, however, is passing up Strangelet thinking that just because he's not breaking new ground that he's not turning in one of his best works.
Phillips took a slightly quieter route with his solo work, preferring to work in a more acoustic vein on 2004's Virginia Creeper, it is nonetheless similar to his previous band in most ways, feeling like a natural, more mature extension of where GLB could have gone. What works against Phillips is how subtle his music is - like that earlier album's title, it seems to creep up on the listener by being both immediately familiar and comfortable and yet slightly too much so, so that it doesn't stand out. Yet it winds up sneaking up and surprising by quickly becoming a favorite, effortlessly.
Strangelet nearly falls victim to the same tendency, but this time a few tunes immediately stick out and prick at listeners in just the right way. "Soft Asylum (No Way Out)" is one such tune, being the great U2 mid-tempo ballad that they're going to wish they'd written (and Phillips is going to hope his promotion team pushes the right way.) "Fountain Of Youth" wins not just because of the tune but because of the gentle intoxication provided by the ukelele that drives the song - and it makes me glad Phillips has pursued the use of this instrument.
Article comments
1 - tendraftsdeep
As always, a great work of art from Grant.
2 - Connie Phillips
Congrats! This article has been forwarded to the Advance.net websites and Boston.com (going live soon).
3 - Travis Duncan
I have to disagree with this article on one point
I really feel that Grant Lee Buffalo and Grant Lee Phillips have two different sounds. Granted(hahah)
Grant is still the voice in both, but the reverb with Grant Lee Buffalo makes them a lot more rock,
and Grant has drifted a lot more to what genreheads call alt folk. I hear a difference in Grant's voice as well. It seems strong with Grant Lee Buffalo, i mean really insanely strong , with great high notes,
however, I think solo, grant has moved away from just vocals but putting together a more complete musical arrangement such as is heard on "Fountain of Youth"
Travis