With an orchestral magnificence not heard since Brian Wilson’s Smile and a brashness not heard since the earlier albums of Oasis, I present to you Grand Atlantic. Hailing from Brisbane, Australia – and lead by Phil Usher’s gritty vocals, Grand Atlantic is everything a power pop fan could want and bands like Travis or Coldplay wish they could become. It starts off with the dramatic piano melody in “Prelude” and fades into the blistering single “Coolite” – the type of great song only Oasis used to be able to pull off. The album continues with tastey guitar riffs in “Smokle and Mirrors” a great single and my favorite tune on the CD. Things get a little trippy on the Beatles’ “Rain” inspired track “Chaos Theory” and then with the next track “Wonderful Tragedy” resembles a classic SuperDrag track with a touch of Beach Boys “Pet Sounds.” Another gem is the low key “Slappin’ On The Cuffs” that often recalls classic Teenage Fanclub a little bit. The group does an excellent job of using the best elements of classic 60s pop and creating something new and catchy, like the horn flourishes in “Burning Brighter.” Another band that draws similar comparison here is The New Pornographers, and every track here is impressive. Even the last track “Peace be with you” is awesome, using french horn, harpsichord, sleigh bells, wood blocks, hand claps, timpani, cymbals, tambourine, string quartet, and everything short of the kitchen sink! The Beach Boys-like coda at the end of the album is not to be missed either. Bottom line, this is an amazingly great album and deserves much acclaim. On my top ten for 2007, most definitely.
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