Grandaddy / Jason Lytle

[weekender]

I was surprised to see there wasn't a thread about Grandaddy and Jason Lytle on CaB until now, or at least I couldn't find one easily.

So, you might know Grandaddy from their song A.M.180, which was used in the film 28 Days Later to good effect.  Here it is:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ptPXxAds1Jc

What you may not know is that the main singer/songwriter behind that - Jason Lytle - is, to my mind, an absolute genius.

I've been fairly obsessed with Grandaddy and Lytle's solo albums for the past year, and I think for good reason.

If you want to try an album, I'd recommend The Sophtware Slump (Deluxe Edition), which is the one I probably listen to the most.  Here is one of it's B-sides, 'Aisle 37-D':

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Y1Ti1x85Rw

That's a B-side or Deluxe Edition or something, but it's amazing!

If you think this is melancholy stuff for a melancholy person, you might initially have an argument.

But the sheer joy behind 'Ghost Of My Old Dog' from his debut album 'Yours Truly, The Commuter'[nb]Barry, I've been posting for over 20 years on this forum now, this obviously isn't a plug for me or a friend of mine[/nb] - and there are other songs in which Mr Lytle appears to have happy thoughts - is exhilarating.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=au7S3VxC2Sg

[Dr Syntax Head]

I remember being quite entranced by song and video The Crystal Lake (the video is great with them flying around in a shed) when it was played on MTV2 quite a lot back in the day. I need to explore further I reckon

[DrGreggles]

The Sophtware Slump (Deluxe Edition)

Ooh, 'Deluxe'!

He's Simple... is their best moment for me, but I generally enjoy all their stuff.

[Captain Z]

So, you might know Grandaddy from their song A.M.180, which was used in the film 28 Days Later to good effect.  Here it is:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ptPXxAds1Jc

And, more famously to me, Charlie Brooker's Screenwipe theme.

[famethrowa]

Love Grandaddy. Was obsessed by TSS back in the year 2000, went to see them live and wore out their t-shirt. A well-deployed edge of town junkyard aesthetic, a lonely life that you love and hate.

I notice a return to that kind of sound in the new releases lately, particularly the Weyes Blood album has that plodding drums and floaty synth piano feel, and a few other bands too. I guess it makes sense, it's been 20 years and that's usually when fashions come back around.

[kalowski]

The Sophtware Slump is amazing, not a bad track. Even if He's Simple... is the standout track.

Like everything I have by Grandaddy: Todd Zilla, Sumday etc. There's a b-side called For the Dishwasher which is incredible.

[sevendaughters]

not a fan of Jed The Humanoid on TSS. that's it (for that LP).

here's my Grandaddy backstory: fell for TSS hard, got Under The Western Freeway (imo just as good), the Broken Down Comforter Collection, loved the singles ahead of Sumday, got Sumday, put it on, turned it off at track 7 despite enjoying it and have never gotten past track 7 on several subsequent listens. I don't know why but my ears get tired. I don't even know what the back half of Sumday really sounds like.

what is pretty interesting to me is that when they came around indie-rock had pretty much solidified as to what it was and what it sounded like and yet with the benefit of hindsight it's pretty obvious no one sounded like Grandaddy.

[SteveDave]

I love most of TSS and "Nature Anthem" but I almost fell asleep watching them in Bristol in 2002 (I think?) I was quite tired and I don't know if I was expecting them to leap onstage with fireworks screaming "BRISTAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHL! ARE YOU READY TO RAWK!? THIS FIRST NUMBER HAS BEEN VERY KIND TO US!"

"Mew-mew-mewmew-mew-mew-mewmew-mew-mew-mewmew-mew-mew"

[the]

I found The Sophtware Slump to be their album that I gelled with the least, I seem to remember finding it a bit drab compared to their other stuff. Maybe I should give it a relisten.

Big fan of the The Broken Down Comforter Collection, Under The Western Freeway and Sumday (shich has some outstanding songs). Never got round to Fambly Cat, should check it out.

[Clatty McCutcheon]

what is pretty interesting to me is that when they came around indie-rock had pretty much solidified as to what it was and what it sounded like and yet with the benefit of hindsight it's pretty obvious no one sounded like Grandaddy.

Midlake's first album Bamnan and Slivercork sounds very like early Grandaddy, but I don't think that was unintentional. The same kind of fuzzy, twinkly, slightly ramshackle sound, but with enough melodic invention and character of its own to stand on its own terms.

Anyway - Grandaddy.  I kind of lost interest around the time of Family Cat, which I wasn't overly keen on, but about two thirds of 2017's 'comeback' album Last Place is very good.

[NattyDread 2]

Love them to bits. Saw them around the release of Sumday and on the Last Place tour. Both times were fantastic. Gutted that I only found out that Jason played on the Isle of Eigg last year after the fact. And I'm practically a local.

I reckon the solo album 'Dept. of Disappearance' is up there with the best of the Grandaddy stuff.

My sister recently sent me a link to some new stuff, think it was a soundtrack or something, but I'm buggered if I can find it now.

Edit to add - This thread just jogged a memory of an early gig that used to be on youtube, now nowhere to be found. It was really stripped down early versions of mostly Sophtware songs and was absolutely tremendous. Pretty much just him sitting at the keyboard singing his heart out. I'd love to see that again.

[Glitch King]

The arrangement of Crystal Lake is really weird.

Glitch King!

[famethrowa]

The arrangement of Crystal Lake is really weird.

I reckon it's too long. We don't need the intro played again twice after the first chorus, and we especially don't need "I gotta get out of here" four times at the end of both verses, and the outro riff goes on too many times (as well as just being the "excellent guitar riff" from Two Tickets to Paradise).

Having said that, I love the song to death and it's perfect when in the right mood. But compare it to Hewlett's Daughter which gets in, out and off quick smart, I think the wonderful verses and writing would be better served with a bit of editing. Still, this is what happens when the singer, writer, performer and producer are all the same person.

[Hat FM]

he's put some new Grandaddy stuff on bandcamp recently but i can't link to it as i'm at work.

seen them so many times. sucha great band. Love that they have a paper mache version of Gruff rhys on the cover of their first album.

[good times]

not a fan of Jed The Humanoid on TSS. that's it (for that LP).

here's my Grandaddy backstory: fell for TSS hard, got Under The Western Freeway (imo just as good), the Broken Down Comforter Collection, loved the singles ahead of Sumday, got Sumday, put it on, turned it off at track 7 despite enjoying it and have never gotten past track 7 on several subsequent listens. I don't know why but my ears get tired. I don't even know what the back half of Sumday really sounds like.

what is pretty interesting to me is that when they came around indie-rock had pretty much solidified as to what it was and what it sounded like and yet with the benefit of hindsight it's pretty obvious no one sounded like Grandaddy.

It doesn't help that literally every song has the same drum beat. Much more variation on TSS.

Fantastically written pop songs though all the same, just not the same degree of creativity that the other albums had.

[Rich Uncle Skeleton]

Christ haven't thought about grandaddy in ages.

Friend of mine sent me a couple of tracks off The Sophtware Slump years ago , went and got the album which I loved and fucking played to death. Somehow not listened to for a few years now so that'll be a fun listen tonight.

Was amazed when someone told me the screenwipe tune was theirs so bought Under The Western Freeway  . didn't like the whole song and couldn't get into the album at all, maybe it'll click another time but it ended up in a charity shop.

Finally a few years ago I saw a pile of copies of Excerpts From The Diary Of Todd Zilla in a bargain basket for 50p each , never heard of it so thought I'd give it a spin. Fucking bored me stiff[nb]apparently it was just some leftovers knocked off while recording another album, wouldn't have bothered if I'd known that[/nb]

So yeah I've had a pretty bad run with them considering the first album I heard is probably a top 20(!) for me. Something very special about The Sophtware Slump I could never put my finger on. Think it says more about me than the quality of their work that maybe nothing else was ever going to measure up next to it. Or I just need to listen to the rest some other time and wait for it to click. I'm sure everyone has that with bands now and then. [nb]didn't mean to fill the screen with this rubbish, sorry[/nb]

[famethrowa]

here's my Grandaddy backstory: fell for TSS hard, got Under The Western Freeway (imo just as good), the Broken Down Comforter Collection, loved the singles ahead of Sumday, got Sumday, put it on, turned it off at track 7 despite enjoying it and have never gotten past track 7 on several subsequent listens. I don't know why but my ears get tired. I don't even know what the back half of Sumday really sounds like.

I agree, it's a bit of a slog, but fast forward through to the second last track, The Warming Sun, which stands on its own and is a fantastic downer breakup song when you're in the mood.