EGL Magazine

30 January 2011

Australian rock act Grinspoon formed in 1995, immediately winning fans with a sound that slotted nicely into the post grunge wave going on at the time. Their first LP – 'Guide to Better Living' - was released in 1997 and went platinum in Australia, a feat the band would repeat with second album 'Easy' in 1999.

Throughout their career, Grinspoon have garnered a number of awards, including the Best Rock Album award at the 2005 ARIA music awards, and performed at the 2006 Commonwealth Games closing ceremony in Melbourne.

'Six to Midnight' was released in September 2009 in Australia where it went gold. Due for release in March, the European release has four added tracks, including a remix of their song 'Champion', an old fan favourite from their 1996 EP 'Licker Bottle Cozy'.

Recently signed to DR2 records, the band’s hard, driving rock should feel right at home, sharing the same label as New York Dolls and Therapy? Certainly their songwriting is not a million miles from that of the latter.

The album explodes into life with the tearing, angular opening riffs of 'Dogs', a vicious beast guaranteed to set heads nodding, bodies spasming and the postman running for cover.

Dogs and second track Run set a level of aggression which comes and goes throughout the album, peaking on tracks such as 'Tonight' and 'Right Now', which come on like Faith No More due to Phil Jamieson’s soaring, spiraling vocal, one of the bands main strengths.

Similar in its attack is the riff-packed 'Surrender', the best of the European exclusive tracks. Lead single 'Comeback' is an altogether more melodic affair, the Billy Talent-esque verse giving way to a warm chorus in which Jamieson insists we ‘don’t call this a comeback’. The single was the first original material from the band after a short hiatus.

Sharp-edged, pummelling rock with a punky bounce is the order of the day here, and with top notch songwriting and Grinspoon’s ear for a tasty pop hook, the mind boggles as to why the band have not had the exposure necessary to make a big impact on this side of the globe. Let’s see if 'Six to Midnight' can do something about that.