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Rating: By the fourth album, the Australian trio led by John Butler, with unmistakable sounds that blend folk, rock, reggae, and tribal music, continues with an artistic evolution that isn't too positive. Starting from the raw and spontaneous music of his first "John Butler" (containing masterpieces like the divine "Ocean"), the eccentric guitarist and singer increasingly distances himself from that kind of direct composition (almost improvisation) to move towards forms, sadly, more suitable for the market, something that, coming from a guitarist always critical of money-related lifestyles, makes one raise an eyebrow. Thus the length of the tracks tightens, and with it, much time is taken away from John's ecstatic improvised guitar flights, which alone could have justified the previous albums and where he truly excels. In return, well-defined melodies and precise structures increase, taking away the trio's spontaneity: precisely what made the first albums great. But let's move on to the songs.
The start is good: although the craftsmanship is very marketable (limited timing, few instrumental parts, and highly catchy choruses), the first five tracks are inspired and sound very fresh, with quality peaks such as the engaging "Funky Tonight" and the dreamy "Caroline" and excellent touches like the scratch in "Daniella", achieving a successful balance between easy listening and originality. The trio's groove is as deadly as ever, and its sound unmistakable. It's with "Used to Get High" that the first sign of weakening is recorded: the track is too easy and obvious. The last flash of genius in the work is "Gov Did Nothin'", where after a completely forgettable first half, there is finally an instrumental section worthy of its name, where the wonderful and intense solo by John is followed by a finale dominated by brass, unexpected and extremely pleasant. Then the collapse is definitive. The tracks follow one another, practically useless, too short for the leader to take flight and too filled with predictable melodies and excessively repeated choruses, although always played with mastery and personality. In this sea of fillers, only the emotional "Losing You", an acoustic piece in duet with singer Mama Kin, none other than John's wife, is saved. In short, the Trio never intended to create something new other than a sound never heard before, but the continuous reiteration of this as the only notable element is insufficient, especially if deprived of the naturalness that truly gave it meaning.
If one has arrived here after listening to the previous outputs, one suffers a bit while listening to this album, because John Butler was (even more in the beginning) such a sincere and direct musician, like the nature to which he is (or perhaps was?) so connected, that it feels like losing a friend. Indeed, in this sense, another friend, losing himself and thus also the listener in the search for the approval of a market dominated by values he still criticizes. "Grand National," ultimately, can be an interesting album for those who have never heard the trio before, but I rather recommend listening to the definitely better two previous products (especially "Three").
Tracklist Lyrics and Videos
02 Daniella (04:17)
You light me up little girl, like the 4th of July
I love you more than every single star man in the sky
You are the best damn thing that ever happened to me
Want to take you home start making family
You are a damn fine lady like no other
Want to introduce you to my father and my mother
I'm so damn happy you want to be my lover
Can't wait to get you home and get you under the covers
Daniella be my cinderella
Won't you come around and be my baby
Daniella, don't you remember won't you come
Daniella
Daniella
Daniella
I remember the day I asked
Your parents for your hand
Nearly knocked them off their feet
They could not hardly stand
The same day I asked you be my wife to be
I said m-m-m-m-m-m-m-m marry me
I said I promise to love you and treat you right
Give you the proper respect you deserve
Every day and night
Give you good good lovin' 'til the morning light
And I promise we will never, ever
Ever fight, yeah right yeah
04 Caroline (03:48)
Got your eyes open, but you cannot see
Got what you want, do you got what you need?
Till one day you see something you cannot bear
Telling you girl, yes you better beware
Her papa loved her so much you could see
Loved her too much if you know what I mean
So, she left home young,
Yeah she moved town to town
Looking for love that she never found
She played it hard and yes she played it rough
Made her feel safe and it made her feel tough
And rock by rock she built those walls everyday
Built herself a tower so far away
And from up high in that castle
She knew no one could get too close to touch
And if life and death were such a game
Why did they all make such a fuss?
And if birds could fly high over their troubles
She gonna find some of her own wings and fly
And no one could convince or pay her double
Or tell her she was too young to die
Oh Caroline, Caroline
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