Seattle quintet are drawn back together with third indie twang.
There was a moment in the fall of 2020 when Great Grandpa – made of close friends Al Menne, Dylan Hanwright, Cam LaFlam, and Pat and Carrie Goodwin – didn’t know if they would go on. Wrought with indecisions from their immense inde-rock Four of Arrows in 2019, each member was pulled in different directions of new life stages – with the presence of following up some of their best work forever looming in the forefront of their minds.
But for such a connecting group, re-entering each other’s orbits was somewhat inevitable. Simply missing each other as friends, the Seattle quintet reconnected with a new kindred spirit and a deep desire to make the project work and continue.
While most ideas were scrapped during that post-2019 period, what remained was “Kid” – deftly moving sprawl of operatic rock // alt-country that would soon become the catalyst of their third record – Patience, Moonbeam.
Patience.. is the very essence of this rekindling, as it marks the groups’ most ambitious and confident-sounding project to date. All of Great Grandpa’s signature sounds are present – that melancholic indie twang is the leading lady while those stirring lead vocals play part-and-parcel of a support, along with wonderful segues of strings, hooky guitar pangs and polished structures.
Junior is a airy dazzle of tenderness while other lead of Ladybug is a far more weighted affair; coursing that Midwest Emo catharsis of blazing vocals. Doom is another mark-up of magic – met with a longing indie sweep of love loss and nostalgia. Kid – the records’ very foundation – plays almost like a country romcom soundtrack; structures that are all too non-traditional; poetic piano balladry, tender choral workings out. It’s an intriguingly delightful listen and gets better with every passing minute. It’s remarkable to think that this was all self-produced.
It’s a statement of intent from a tight-knit quartet group that are far from finished with one another. A six-year compilation of perseverance and purity, Patience, Moonbeam is a beauty. Never underestimate the power of friendship.
manvmusic.com 
Leave a comment