Grandaddy
Sumday
V2

X-mas in June this year!! Grandaddy's brand new album. The difficult third album, following up the b-r-i-l-l-i-a-n-t The Sophtware Slump, and their very, very good debut Under the Western Freeway. Oh, how I have awaited this one!

And, yes! Yes!! Yes!? Well. It sounds....good. But. Hmmm. More of the same, fine pop melodies Jason Lytle pull out. But. Am I disappointed? Yes. And no. I've been awaiting THE album of the year, yes, I might have built my own expectations slightly too high. Eyes shiny, mouth dripping. Hmm. After hearing about Jason's troubles getting going with his song-writing, I was a bit nervous. And now this nervousness comes again while going through Sumday. I'm confused. Feverish.

Opening song is the stand-out song and obvious single choice "Now It's On". A killer pop-song - a trademark Grandaddy tune. Catchy as catchy can be and soothing as a long summer night. Was this the ice breaker? Making Jason ready to write again? Finding his state of mind of readiness to create delicious music. "Now that the 'K' is in place / where the 'C' used to be / It seems that I'm ceasing to be / in the season of the old me". So good it almost hurts. But, then, as the album spins on I keep thinking: where's the excitement, where's the nerve? This sounds too safe, too nice. I miss some edge. It's almost like the title of track two; "I'm On Standby". Like these are songs Jason Lytle easily flicks out while he's got his mind somewhere else. I might be totally wrong. And I'm still a huge Grandaddy fan. And: I must admit "Lost On Yer Merry Way" is the most beautiful sadness you can get. And, yes of course, Jason comes up with choruses others would die for, presenting fascinating and touching storytelling from the depths of his personal universe. Another brilliant piece, and yet an example of what I just pointed out, is "O.K. With My Deacay". And (yes, I'm 'and'-ing a lot...) another touching song is "The Warming Sun". Ooops, not to forget the following (closing) track "The Final Push To The Sum". Hold your breath.

I've been through the album several times now, and are still getting "closer in, deeper down" each time. So. How good is it then - as a whole? Sumday needs, and probably deserves more time before I really can tell.

Copyright © 2003 Håvard Oppøyen