By Theron Moore
Album
Type:
Full Length
Date
Released:
13/10/2017
Label:
Found Recordings
Gruntruck straddles that line
between heavy, melodic, and noisey, not afraid to venture into Pearl Jam territory when it feels like it, then take a hard
left and land somewhere near the sound of Alice In Chains. Listening to “Gruntruck”, I think I finally understand what grunge was
about. Sure it was a trend, but bands
like this just wanted to rock. And
that’s what this record does.
“Gruntruck”
CD//DD//LP track listing:
1). Bar Fly
2). Trip
3). War Flower
4). Noise Field
5). Build A Hole
6). Situation
7). It's Alright
8). Reverse Angel
9). Spy
10). Machine II
11). Flang
The
Review:
I
caught Skin Yard twice, live. Ben McMillan and Jack Endino. Heavy beyond heavy and way ahead of their
time. And then came Gruntruck. Everything I just said multiplied by
two. Only two albums released but an
amazing and influential band to say the least.
The voice of Seattle himself, Ben McMillan, Tom Niemyer, Tim Paul and
Scott McCollum. The original lineup. Alex
Sibbald and Josh Snider would slide on in during the early 90’s but the band
was never the same following an ugly legal battle with Roadrunner Records
and disbanded in 2002.
Tragedy
struck six years later in 2008 when Ben McMillan passed away from complications
with Diabetes, a disease he’d been struggling with for several years prior. But one thing has always remained a constant
with this band. Their fan base never
gave up on them. For years there’s been
chatter of a “lost” record that Gruntruck did that
never surfaced. Did it exist or was it just rumor? 15 years after the band
calls it a day, Found Recordings will be releasing this very
record we speak about. That’s right,
it’s not a rumor any longer. The
infamous “lost” record will be released October 13th.
I’ve
heard the record. In fact, to tell you
the truth, I’ve listened to it several times.
Classic Gruntruck.
It picks up where the band left off.
Seamlessly I might add. I referenced
Skin Yard above.
This’ll appeal to fans of that band as well, as both Gruntruck and Skin Yard had similar
musical visions. The thing about Gruntruck is / was, they had a wider musical vision than
not just Skin Yard, but many of their Seattle peers
as well. Track two, “Trip,” brings this point home.
Gruntruck
straddles that line between heavy, melodic, and noisey, not afraid to venture
into Pearl Jam territory when it feels like it,
then take a hard left and land somewhere near the sound of Alice In Chains. It’s interesting to listen to these songs and
hear the cross pollination of Gruntruck with say, Mother Love Bone, Skin Yard, Green River, and of course The Screaming Trees. They were friends, they influenced each
other. They weren’t afraid of letting
that sound grow and take on a life of its’ own.
That was an important component of grunge as we know it.
It
feels good listening to this record and hearing McMillan’s voice again. The band sounds just as good now as it did
back in the day. That is, the music is
timeless. Songs like “Situation” ring with that Seattle
intensity the scene had back in the 90’s, that brand of heaviness that seemed
so unique to the Pacific Northwest. The
Alice In Chains feel of track 8, “Reverse Angel,” brings freshness to the here and now, when so much
music feels cookie cutter or obsessed with retro rehash.
Listening
to “Gruntruck”, I think I finally
understand what grunge was about. Sure
it was a trend, but bands like this just wanted to rock. And that’s what this record does. That’s what Gruntruck
has always done. They rock. Give it an honest listen. I bet it’ll grow on you. Gruntruck
was and still is, killer for its time.
“Gruntruck” is available to
preoder/buy here
Band
info: facebook
