David Grubbs - An Optimist Notes the Dusk
by Maarten Schiethart
published: 5 / 10 / 2008
Label:
Drag City
Format: CD
intro
Melodically rich first album in four years from experimental New York-based musician David Grubbs, who has partially returned to form after a string of uninspiring albums
Back in the late 1980's and early 1990's, David Grubbs was one half of the groundbreaking duo Squirrel Bait. After having gone solo, Grubb has released various calm in sound, but not very inspiring solo albums. Missing presumed dead, David Grubbs has filled in the void and created for himself some extra space with 'An Optimist Notes The Dusk' after an absence of nearly 4 years. Hard-fetched for some action, 'An Optimist Notes The Dusk', goes through melodic workouts without alas drawing much in the way of attention to itself. Grubbs's sketchy, though rich in terms of melody, compositions never were of any use to daytime radio selectors, but on 'Eyeglasses Of Kentucky' Grubbs is flirting with the John Fahey congregation and he quits the story-telling path only to deliver a majestic, nifty change of drone excellence. It is only then, when listening to those steamy and vapoury resonances, that the listener receives the full treatment. Those sparse moments of 'The Not-So Distant', in a most impressive style, bring back to mind the esoterics of the 'Eraserhead' film soundtrack.
Track Listing:-
1 Gethsemani Night2 An Optimist Declines
3 Holy Fool Music
4 Storm Sequence
5 Eyeglasses Of Kentucky
6 The Not-So-Distant
Band Links:-
http://darwilliams.com/https://www.facebook.com/DarWilliamsOfficial
https://twitter.com/darwilliamstour
Label Links:-
http://www.dragcity.com/https://twitter.com/dragcityrecords
https://www.facebook.com/dragcityrecords
interviews |
|
Interview (2013) |
|
| Paul Waller talks to New York-based experimental musician and solo artist David Grubbs about his early years with influential hardcore bands Squirrel Bait and Bitch Magnet and his new album ‘The Plain Where the Palace Stood’ |
live reviews |
|
Spitz, London, 12/6/2005 |
|
| David Grubbs is best known for his work with Jim O' Rourke in post-rock group Gastr del Sol, but now has a three album solo career. Anthony Dhanendran watches him play a sometimes brilliant, but confusing set at the London Spitz |
soundcloud
reviews |
|
The Spectrum Between (2001) |
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| The second solo album of David Grubbs is an exquisite combination of post Van Dyke Parks and new wave rock in the style of David Byrne. In his previous band, as one half of Gastro del Sol, there w |
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