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Music can be the great unifier. It can make those old Brits,
The Rolling Stones, sound like American bluesman. And now,
it allows Grand Champeen from Austin, Texas to pass themselves
off as Brits. Mind you, these guys don't sing with any phony Cockney
accents. But the music on "Dial T For This" -
this group's fourth release - owes a great debt to British Invasion
rock.
The jaunty "Nice of You to Join Us" is like a ferry
ride across the Mersey, back to the past. It's a group vocal effort
with a happy beat that makes your toes tap involuntarily. (Okay,
so it also has a bit of a screechy electric guitar solo, too -
totally out of place with early '60s music - but it still has
more than enough retro good vibes). My favorite song title from
this 13-song collection is "Rottweiler Hair". "She
had rottweiler hair/but she never cared," it goes. She may
not be an ugly pooch - looks-wise, that is - but she's meaner
than a junkyard dog. Then again, the track that summarizes this
CD best is "The Songs You Want To Hear" because, chances
are, this is a collection of songs any self-respecting anglophile
will want to hear - again and again.
This is mostly a guitar album, sonically, although acoustic piano
makes itself heard during "Gonna Be The Death Of Me."
Not only is there piano, but horns also come into play during
this track. But most of these songs feature simple, chunky, memorable
guitar electric riffs. And only on "Olivia" does this
group slow the pace down considerably for a sweet, Hollies
moment.
Grand Champeen, with their tight 'n light guitars, are no heavyweights.
They don't go for heavy riffs, body-pounding drum beats and bone-rattling
bass notes. Nevertheless, these guys are winners in the ring.
-Dan MacIntosh
Track Listing:
1. What It Beats
2. Different Sort of Story
3. Nice Of You to Join Us
4. Wounded Eye
5. Can I See You Again?
6. Cities on the Plain
7. Gonna Be the Death of Me
8. Raul Vela
9. Rottweiler Hair
10. To The Ides
11. Take Me Home
12. The Songs You Want To Hear
13. Olivia
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