Review Summary: Step right up for the main attraction
It shouldn’t surprise anyone that Nate Ruess is aiming for ‘grand’. His previous work with currently on hiatus band fun. built a good portion of its sound around Nate Ruess’ theatrics. On Aim and Ignite it was very natural, with an assortment of instruments backing up the personal details of the life and times of our frontman. Some Nights took a much simpler approach, appealing to the mainstream with its explosive choruses made to be sung along to. So where does Ruess go from here?
Well, lead single 'Nothing Without Love' is quite the perfect thesis for Grand Romantic. It’s everything you will find on this album rolled up into one four and a half minute song, and it’s flawless. It is soulful and solemn, a love letter to love itself. With his voice practically spilling over himself, Ruess continues to show his knack for songwriting. There are some infectious choruses to be found on this album. 'Great Big Storm' comes to mind, harking back to Aim and Ignite with its violins jutting in and out of the chorus.
The big misfire on the album is 'What This World Is Coming To'. An acoustic guitar driven ballad featuring Beck, the song suffers from a plethora of problems. Uninspired lyrics, bland instrumentation, not utilizing Beck enough - usually these things can be mollified by Ruess’ voice, but the opportunity isn’t taken. 'Take It Back' is nothing more than a yawn until a brief guitar solo appears. Afterwards Nate hits those higher notes, and they catch your attention. The only time Nates voice hinders a song is his obnoxious laughing on ‘AhHa’. While the track is bursting with expression and sounds like a rowdier twin to 'Some Nights', the laughing takes some time to warm up to.
As it turns out, being a Grand Romantic isn’t such a joyous title to hold. Regret, heartbreak, letting go and moving on are all themes that are well covered during the runtime of Grand Romantic’. Ruess constantly shows moments of fragility, and often times it’s his voice that stands out during these moments. His tragic wailing is heartfelt and probably the most somber it’s ever been. The melodies played out by Ruess effectively compliment the melancholy nature of his lyrics. Back to back tracks ‘Moment’ and ‘It Only Gets Much Worse’ highlight this. There’s also a thread of regret that runs through the album. Said emotion is laid bare on the title track, where half of the lyrics are variations on the line “I just wanted you so bad.”
Even after proclaiming he doesn’t want to be a grand romantic anymore, the theme carries on to the end of the album with the song 'Brightside'. Here he pines for things to be better, hoping for a miracle to turn things around. The last thing he utters is “And look at you!”, with a certain fascination. His voice is a pointed finger, trying to catch your attention while goading you to turn your gaze elsewhere. Nonetheless, Ruess puts on a great show, and Grand Romantic is solid proof.
