Sebastien Grainger & The Mountains, S/T

By Less Lee Moore

Listening to these songs on Sebastien Grainger’s MySpace page and hearing them on CD is like the difference between reading about eating a crème caramel and actually eating one. Granted, the MySpace music player doesn’t have the greatest sound quality, but that does not adequately explain it. There’s something more, something that makes this album better than the sum of its parts.

The convenience of MP3 players has made music a soundtrack to the daily grind: the car, the subway, the grocery, and your after-work workout. Music enjoyment—and music itself—has suffered for it.

So, it’s a revelation to hear these twelve songs and not want to do anything else but listen, curled up on the couch, lyric sheet in hand, mind and heart working overtime to take it all in.

There is something bracing about the first three tracks: “Love Can Be So Mean” and “Who Do We Care For?” build upon each other’s goodness until “By Cover of Night (Fire Fight)” knocks the wind right out of you. The dichotomy between the timeless and the familiar is intoxicating; it makes you want to come back for more.

There is a bit of a breather with the staccato groove of “I’m All Rage,” which is, interestingly enough, the lone live track on the disc. There’s a great, sweeping bridge and the coda, the as-yet-unnamed “Rabbit’s Paw,” displays Grainger’s astonishing and distinctive vocal range.

It’s all a ploy to leave us vulnerable for the mastery of “I Hate My Friends,” which, save for the oddly ironic lyrics, is a perfect song. Here is a songwriter who knows the art of the come-on and the tease, giving us a hint of the climax early on and then withholding it until we’re practically begging for it. And when it does come, the song seems to explode right from the speakers. It seems so simple, but if it’s so simple, then why isn’t every other band doing this?

It’s not all an orgiastic frenzy, though; except for the brief interruption of the thrash of “Niagara” (which shows that Grainger can scream as well as he can sing), the next few songs yearn and ache all over the place. The moody keyboards of “(Are There) Ways To Come Home?” make a stylish backdrop for Grainger’s vibrato and falsetto (which are strikingly similar to Jeff Buckley’s gypsy wails). And “Love Is Not A Contest” is compelling poetry, as stark piano and minimalist lyrics build into a wave of noise.

My favorite track, however, is the Pat Smear-like “(I Am) Like A River,” with its totally unironic guitar noodling, thick New Wave keyboards, and soulful vocals. The haunting piano in the bridge makes the lyrics even more affecting, and just when you think you’ve figured it all out, there is a surprise ending to ensure the song does not leave your consciousness.

“American Names” is nothing short of an anthem, and makes you remember that amazing movie you saw where this song played such an important role, only to realize it doesn’t exist. Yet. The opening drumbeat of “Meet New Friends” is a dead ringer for The Ronettes’ “Be My Baby” and continues the positive vibe; its uplifting lyrics would almost be corny if their delivery weren’t so believable.

It’s not until the funky, sexy “Renegade Silence” that we can really sense the ghosts of Grainger’s previous band, Death From Above 1979. It’s co-credited to The Rhythm Method, which is one of Grainger’s alter egos. Don’t believe all the haters who think this is the only good song on an album of pathetic attempts to recapture DFA 1979’s glory. It has an honesty that blows that band away.

In fact, Sebastien Grainger & The Mountains’ debut obliterates DFA 1979 and doesn’t look back. As cool as that band was, they didn’t have songs that stuck to your soul long after the album had finished playing. This one does.

Sebastien Grainger & The Mountains play in the UK and Europe through February 21. To check tour dates and to hear selections from the album, check the band’s MySpace page.