“Fee Da Da Dee” gradually opens out into a rich sound complete with strings. “What Is This Feeling?” comes next and is a stripped down ukele based song. Beautifully melancholic lyrics are partially disguised by the song’s warm glow.
“Sunshine Makes Me High”, taken from the album, builds layer upon layer of texture adding piano to the simple drum and bass opening. Once the understated guitar enters, the song opens out beautifully, like the sun itself. The inevitable comparisons to James Blunt with their soaring expression of ‘high’ shouldn’t detract from this well crafted song.
“Waking Up America”, the single, is superbly catchy and is instant airplay material. Tigers comes to an end with another highly satisfying ukulele based track “The Universe Is Laughing”. The wonderful lyrics both here, and in their work generally, illustrate why Kevin May became the first lyricist to be featured on WNUR’s Literary Show.
The Guggenheim Grotto have the gift of writing heart-rending, soaring melodies that combine a superb blend of folk and excellently pitched acoustic pop. Add in harmonies that would make Graham Nash and David Crosby proud, their masterful use of that vast array of instruments, along with those haunting lyrics, and you have a memorable combination.
Tigers provides the perfect introduction to The Guggenheim Grotto. On the strength of this, I honestly feel that such introductions will soon become unnecessary. We will all be hearing a lot more from them in the near future.
They are currently touring Ireland but will return to America in the new year. Details can be found on their official website and on their MySpace profile. Visit either and have a listen. You will be pleasantly surprised.
Article comments
1 - jim lane
My wife and I saw Guggenheim Grotto in ft. Wayne, In 2/09. We thought they were original and enjoyed their music as well as their performance. We wish them well.