GRANT-LEE PHILLIPS – LITTLE MOON

Since the disbanding of the much beloved Grant-Lee Buffalo in 1999, Phillips has made a swag of solo albums, exploring everything from bedroom folk (Ladies Love Oracle) to a curious sort of adult electro-pop (Mobilize). All Phillips’ efforts in this decade tended to nestle into that sort of safe and guarded adult-contemporary song-making. But here, we’ve got some of the old Grant-Lee back – there is a naked edge to these pop ruminations that does indeed hark back to the darker lyrical and melodic mystery of the Buffalo hey-day, while presenting a slightly calmer and wizened 40-year old’s ironic views of the world. Good Morning Happiness avoids the implied day-glo sentiment, instead its attractive bounce speaks of conquering loneliness rather than basking in needless gaiety; and irony is carried well the Beatle-esque brassiness of It Ain’t The Same Old Cold War, Harry. Most affecting is Nightbirds, opening up a surreal but earthly dreamscape, and captures that oft-forgotten haunting howl that is distinctly Grant-Lee’s, and this little record is refreshing in the revelation that there’s still some magic left in that native soul of his.

****