Review Summary: Folk-Punk revival
It's impossible to talk about this album or artist without getting it's underlying message out in the open, so let's get that over with: Logan Grant is a devout Christian. You know the type; born-again, saved, give-yourself-to-Christ type of deal. He says that he found Jesus a bit over a year ago while traveling around America, and pretty much every song on here is about that transformation. If you're not comfortable hearing someone talk about how the answer is to give yourself up to a higher power, I don't blame you. If you're still reading: congratulations. Because beyond the lyrics here, you are in for a hard-hitting, true to the roots folk-punk album a la old school Andrew Jackson Jihad, Ramshackle Glory, or Paul Baribeau. Instrumentation is bare, recording is borderline lo-fi, tuning is optional, melodies are repeated for the song's 2 and a half minute runtime, the basics for the genre. What Logan and his Irrationalists bring to the table, and my whole reason for writing this review, is a fire that folk-punk has strayed away from in the past. There are emo revival elements in here (think vocals from Tiny Moving Parts, Cloud Nothings, or Mourning Effort) that bring a new edge to the genre. In short, this isn’t your Reliant K or Lifehouse album, and despite the possibly abrasive messages, nihil novi is worth a listen for any fan of folk-punk.
This album is not easy to listen to at parts, but it is rewarding. tactless is a great opener for the album, inoffensively plucking through a simple chord progression as Logan sings a harmless melody, it's a sweet song. But these sweet moments share the floor with Logan Grant's other emotions, and songs like people, worth the fight, and something that's of use are definitely on the more frustrated end of the spectrum. worth the fight, in particular, is a part of the album I was wincing a bit on first listen due to how aggressively Logan attacks the chorus, which I still don't fully understand because of how he completely breaks his voice singing it. It will turn many people away, sure, but I respect Logan for putting his all into some of these tracks.
nihil novi translates to "nothing new," and while that's true for a lot of what's on display here, I think Logan Grant sells himself short a bit. Everyone has heard the speeches from born-again Christians, and a lot of people have heard folk-punk, but I think the combination is new. And the music is honestly really good, something that's of use has a catchy verse that sounds like it's straight out of Andrew Jackson Jihad's Can't Maintain, with a great accordion(?) accompaniment as well. seldom and young blood are nostalgic and simple in the best ways. surprise breaks away into singer-songwriter territory, which is a pleasant, erm, surprise, and it's certainly a powerful note to close on. Logan Grant put more than a lot into this album to try and spread his message, and I won't try to argue whether or not it comes off as preachy or pandering, that's up to the listener and how they want to interpret Logan's story. I will say that Logan Grant is an artist to keep an eye on, he is taking his music in the right direction to have a really amazing folk-punk/lo-fi/emo-revival sound, and he has the modesty to say that it's nothing new.
