Review Summary: This Street is indeed full of Grace
It is unknown what’s exactly happened to Ian Thornley, but something must have since he dropped his attempts to flirt with the mainstream, represented by the two albums of his namesake solo band. The LPs were solid, there is no denying it, but it felt that Ian possessed more talents that we could barely see. In 2010
Big Wreck was reunited, with a retooled line-up though, and two albums were released under that moniker –
Albatross and
Ghosts. Both records turned out to be unexpectedly strong and distinctive, representing a definite leap in quality. Obviously after a one-two punch like that it was interesting to take a spin of their latest release, titled
Grace Street.
Those familiar with their previous albums are aware of the mid-1970s hard rock influences on the band sound. However, on the new LP the sound is extended significantly, as far as the late 1970s, when disco ruled supreme, and even 1980s, providing
Grace Street with vaster soundscape. Because of that, the first listen to the album may be surprising for the fans. Even though the opening track
It Comes as No Surprise is a typical Big Wreck song with its roaring riff and commanding vocals, the second one may be met with raised eyebrows. The light and smooth melody of
Good Piece of Me, which changes into a perfect arena-ready chorus, amazes with its natural manner. Thornley’s early attempts to record anything in the pop rock genre showed a certain blandness, whereas here it is unmistakably Big Wreck, reaching for new musical horizons.
It would not be far from the truth that
Grace Street is filled with pop elements. Yes, hard rock riffs are still seen on the LP (
Tomorrow Down or
Digging In come to mind), although they do not dominate this time around. Now they are replaced with other expressive means and larger musical diversity. This is how we get steeped in disco rhythms (along with the prerequisite claps)
You Don’t Even Know, vibrant and melancholic acoustic ballad
Useless, remarkably positive, somewhat contemplative and bass-led
A Speedy Recovery, inspiring
The Arborist or mesmerizing
All My Fears on You. Moreover,
Grace Street includes the first instrumental track
Skybunk Marché, amply showing the band skills and exhilarating the audience with its almost progressive changes in tempo and time signatures.
And try and resist the urges to yell ‘sellout’ to Big Wreck and Ian Thornley, in particular, and just compare the songs from his
Thornley records (
Tiny Pictures, to be more specific) and those on
Grace Street. Then everything will fall into place. Instead of catering to the modern tastes, Thornley chose to preserve artistic integrity and individuality. Because of that, and despite the overall softening of the sound and higher accessibility, it is still unmistakably Big Wreck. Moreover, almost all of the tracks are shaped in complex arrangements, chockful of musical expressive means. In general, each cut on the album has undeniable merits, representing a next step and extension of the Big Wreck musical arsenal.
So it is safe to say that
Grace Street is yet another success for the band, which continues a series of artistically accomplished records. The album turned out to be diverse and multifaceted, which requires more than one listen to uncover all the layers. Ian Thornley finally managed to find his muse, delighting the fans with complex and highly entertaining songs and wonderful vocals that only get better with each release. In light of this, if you’re still not familiar with Big Wreck, maybe it is time to remedy this?
