The Fannies have been treading the same melodic furrow for ages two and a half decades now. Their warm 'n' fuzzy West Coast rock sound, inspired by the likes of The Byrds, Neil Young and Big Star made them popular amongst their peers on both sides of the Atlantic with the likes of Kurt Cobain calling them "the best band in the world" and later Oasis' Liam Gallagher with his usual modest way "the second greatest band in Britain". They've never really hit big though. Couple of Top 10 albums aside they've seemingly just pottered along regardless.
GRAND PRIX is their fifth album released after the brilliant Bandwagonesque that topped many critics end of year lists in 1991, and the less well received Thirteen.
With thirteen songs coming in at breezy 41 minutes it's a brisk album full of tightly constructed songs, neat melodies, expertly built guitar led power pop. Its rocks at times, but not too hard. There's a touch of Dinosaur Jr. in there, most obviously on the throwaway opening 'About You', 'Neil Jung' and 'Hardcore/Ballad' (the brief hardcore bit obviously) but it's mostly chunky melodic guitar pop music with 'nice' vocal harmonies.
The three principal songwriters, Norman Blake, Raymond McGinley and Gerard Love all take turns on lead vocals, singing the songs they've written. Given that every track is the traditional guitar/bass/drums and is so rooted in 1960s guitar pop, this democratic approach breaths life into an album that could have been quite a 'samey'.
Standouts are the 'Sparky's Dream' which has a gorgeously harmonious chorus, the dreamy 'Verisimilitude' and the acoustic wonder that is 'Mellow Doubt' a song that's as close to perfection as you can get. 'Mellow Doubt' contains some of the best whistling and handclaps you'll ever hear committed to vinyl. Seriously why is there not more whistling and handclaps on records these days? What record isn't be improved by a handclap and a pursed lip. Oh well.
If you're a bit of a traditional fuddy-duddy alt rock sort, then GRAND PRIX should be your old slippers and dressing gown. It's comfy.
MELLOW DOUBT
SPARKY'S DREAM
NEIL JUNG
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