So here goes...I'll try to keep the Wiki/Allmusic/etc regurgitation to a minimum and get straight to the meat of it. So let's talk about Grails, shall we?
I'll go against the grain a bit by not starting chronologically, but when I first became aware of the band, and that was 2007's Burning Off Impurities.
This record really encapsulates all the facets of their sound so well, and still holds up as a great entry point into the band. The label that put it out (and a few others) is Temporary Residence, which is also the home of post-rock bands like Explosions In The Sky, MONO, Maserati, and others. The fact that Grails is also all-instrumental means that more often than not, they are also wedged into the post-rock ghetto, but a few listens show that they are much, much more than that.
The record starts with the simmering "Soft Temple," a vaguely Eastern-sounding motif slowly circling around your head, glancing at weaknesses in your defense and an entry point for attack. The tempo picks up, the circles get tighter, and at the 4:30 minute mark a snarling guitar lead snakes out, lashing you from all angles until the energy gradually dissipates to quiescence. Welcome to Grails.
A highlight of the record and their live show is "Silk Rd," another Asian-influenced psych raga that works fantastically in the live setting. Here's a clip from their tour in Australia last year..it takes a bit to get going, but soon enough hits full gallop.
"Dead Vine Blues" will appeal to the six-string pluckers, with a quasi-Faheyesque raga line descending constantly and keeping the ball spinning. Here's a fan-made video of it:
The record closes out with a couple fairly long ventures into the edges of Krautrock and impressionistic soundtrack works ("Origin-ing" and "Burning Off Impurities"), a presage of things to come.
This was also right about the same time I first saw Grails play...they were tour support for OM in late 2007, the last tour that OM drummer Chris Hakius would do w/ Al Cisneros. Live, I could see how organically the band really approached things...bass player William Slater periodically hunched over to twiddle with a sampler and other electronics. Tour de force drummer Emil Amos would occasionally leave the kit and take up a guitars manned by either Alex Hall or Zak Riles. The whole show ran through like a runaway rollercoaster, glued to the rails. Color me impressed.
It was clear what I had to do now...make up for lost time and track down the recordings that had come before. Luckily, there weren't too many, but the first two records (on Neurot, the label run by Neurosis) were out of print, so I had to contend with a few auctionsniper attempts before securing those titles. The Black Tar Prophecy records were next, and they contained about an LPs worth of material that otherwise didn't fit stylistically in with the full-length records (see my interview w/ Emil later for more insight into the BTP recordings).
2003 was the date of their debut, The Burden Of Hope.
The first noticeable thing is the presence of violin, since-jettisoned. The songs are also less Eastern-influenced in sound, but still fully confident in what they are trying to express. That sounds a bit stupid upon re-reading, but spend some time w/ this record and maybe you'll see what I mean.
The other notable inclusion of the debut was an unusual cover selection..."Space Prophet Dogon" from Sun City Girls. Now that's a band that could fill pages of its own AOTW entry, but suffice to say that weirdness and unpredictable behaviors (on stage or using instruments or musical forms) abounds. This was an important clue that there was more to Grails than a paint-by-number post-rock approach to things.
The second effort, Redlight, was also out via Neurot and is a strong effort. After the plodding entry point of "Dargai," the dynamics kick in during "The Volunteer" and taper off peacefully. "Worksong" is a bridge, seemingly a work in progress that spans to "High & Low." The pacing of the LP is a real strength, and the highlight is the title track. A calm cyclic riff gradually crumbles away to some jazz drumming that breaks the song into two, with the violin pulling things along over the rhythmic maelstrom. Things get Slinty at the end...it's a fun ride.
I think the last time violinist Timothy Horner played w/ Grails was via four covers...three of them landed on an EP in the Latitudes series (Flower Travellin' Band; The Byrds; Gong), and they were also on the Temporary Residence tribute to Black Sabbath, with Grails getting to lend their treatment to the eponymously titled song.
Fast forward to 2008, a pivotal year for Grails and my relation to them. The first significant event was the simultaneous release of two records (what do they think they are, Bob Pollard?). The title track to Doomsdayer's Holiday was a piece of heaviosity carved from pure black obsidian, whereas "Reincarnation Blues" finds them back on the sub-continent, riding in a tuk-tuk while searching the streets for a contact lens for their third eye. The sinuous guitar work of (well, it's hard to tell who is doing what most of the time- it could be either Hall, Riles, or Amos) "Predestination Blues" is a perfect soundtrack on your trip to any parched land. Closer "Acid Rain" is a lambent call, a definitive cool down of the previous songs that is carried by a keening guitar line that David Gilmour could have crafted.
The companion piece is Take Refuge In Clean Living, which I guess is more of an EP than a full-length release. It's not quite as essential as Doomsdayer's Holiday (which came w/ two different sleeves, for the collectors out there), but boasts two top-shelf Grails tracks in "Stoned At The Taj Again" and "Take Refuge."
2008 was also the first year I met Emil...I was at the All Tomorrow's Parties festival in the Catskills and he happened to be standing next to me while we were waiting for Polvo to play. He grew up in North Carolina and was eager to see them on stage again. We talked for a bit there, and I'd see him play w/ OM later that weekend. After Chris Hakius decided to quit playing music, Al Cisneros made the call to Emil to see if he was interested in playing w/ OM, and the 2nd version of the band was born. Emil has a much more intricate style of playing than Chris, who dominated with power and crisp ride hits on the dome of the cymbal. For a direct comparison, play 2006's Conference Of The Birds back to back against 2009's Live Conference and you'll get an immediate feel for the difference.
But back to Grails...after Volume 4 of Black Tar Prophecies was released (key song - "Self-Hypnosis") the band released what I consider to be their best work yet in 2011, Deep Politics. It's just a really expansive, expressive record. Much more texture and emphasis on melody was apparent. Listen to the gorgeous piano lines on the title track that give way to sympathetic strings...this is not your father's post-rock band anymore. Not by a long shot.
"Daughters Of Bilitis" took their love of cinematography and soundtracks to the next level:
"All The Colors Of The Dark" blend dark overtones that bleed to pale, tender emotions.
Around this time, Grails decided to play the East Coast again and after the show, I had a chance to chat w/ Emil about a variety of things, which you can read about here...highlighted quote included below:
http://www.prefixmag.com/features/grail ... iew/52757/
A couple other things I noticed listening to the new record, it seems like you guys have a pretty deep affection for Pink Floyd, especially with respect to David Gilmour's guitar tone circa Animals, in certain songs like "Almost Grew My Hair" and "I Led Three Lives."
Yeah, well that's an unstoppable thing I suppose. I think its kind of rad that he stuck to his guns and largely rejected the trappings of psychedelic music from the outset. He's always delivered a particularly British existentialism in his melodies and general approach that I love. Whereas Waters conquered his non-musicality with a more aggressive brand of anthemic diatribes, looking back now, Gilmour was really their sonic leader. So you have a pretty fascinating/ancient musical relationship between them representing the attempt to control sound (Gilmour) vs. the meaning of music (Waters), and how you wouldn't want too much of one without the other.
The last Grails release was another in the BTP series from 2012, this time a split w/ Finnish weirdos Pharaoh Overlord.
As one might guess, Emil never slows down. In addition to his work with Grails and OM, he's been busy with a solo career as well as a side project w/ Alex Hall called Lilacs & Champagne.
His solo work comes out under the name Holy Sons which predates his involvement with Grails, and since 2001 he's put out 8 full-lengths where he pretty much does everything that's recorded, printed, designed or played. This music contains vocals, and is in the under-stated manner of someone who wants to let you know how they're doing but doesn't want to shout about it. Musically, cues come from Lou Barlow or Chris Knox without the overt pop sensibilities and filtered with a knowledge of Jandek.
This isn't the greatest recording, but gives a good glimpse into what he's doing (here joined by the drummer from Dolorean, and a couple of guys who played w/ Grails on the last tour).
Holy Sons did a rare tour, opening for Steve Malkmus and The Jicks, and I got a quick photo of them backstage after the show
Lilacs & Champagne have just released their second LP, Danish and Blue and it continues in the vein of the the self-titled one from 2012...slinky, sleazy soundscapes with samples, some of it that could fit right at home with Emmanuelle or other blue movies of the 70s. Not essential, but fun stuff and certainly not a retread of Grails' other work.
Emil is not the only band member who's done side projects. Alex has also contributed with layout for releases by Holy Sons and OM, as well as pitching in for some musical contributions on Steve Von Till's Harvestman LP In A Dark Tongue. Zak Riles has a solo cd out under his name, as well as with a side project called Harbor.
And I can't quite leave this entry without just a quick note on OM...I know that Emil's addition has been polarizing among some fans, but I think that the last two records have made huge leaps in the sound and sonic perspectives of the band, moving away from mega bass workouts like "At Giza" or "Flight Of The Eagle" and into much more intricate and spiritual horizons.
"State Of Non-Return" is a good example...and the addition of Rob Lowe is also another key part of this evolution. I love this band, but that's an AOTW for another time...
Grails and Lilacs & Champagne are doing a short East Coast/Midwest tour later in September, so take the opportunity to see them if you can.
Grails - 2013 Tour Dates
9/10 Nashville, TN @ The End *
9/11 Atlanta, GA @ The Earl *
9/12 Chapel Hill, NC @ Local 506 *
9/13 Baltimore, MD @ Metro Gallery *
9/14 Philadelphia, PA @ Boot & Saddle *
9/15 Brooklyn, NY @ Saint Vitus *
9/16 Allston, MA @ Great Scott *
9/17 Montreal, QC @ Il Motore *
9/18 Toronto, ON @ The Drake Hotel *
9/19 Detroit, MI @ Magic Stick Lounge *
9/20 Chicago, IL @ Beat Kitchen *
9/21 Lexington, KY @ Boomslang Festival
* w/ Lilacs & Champagne, Wreckmeister Harmonies
