Granddaddy just broke their decade-long silence by releasing two new singles, “Way We Won’t” and “Clear Your History”. Other than some live performances during their brief reunion back in 2012, this is the first music the band has produced since their 2006 album Just Like the Fambly Cat.
“Clear Your History” is a short and sweet, down-tempo track with a highly synthetic space vibe and some underlying folky finger-picking. It has a way of getting under your skin and evoking emotion before you even notice it happening. It feels like a two minute and thirty-one second vacation to Washington for your ears – gloomy, but beautifully and blissfully so.
“Way We Won’t” kicks it up a couple notches, with a more upbeat rhythm that practically grabs you and picks you up on your feet, forcing you to get up and thrash about carelessly. It stays true to their notorious alt-/indie rock sound, and from the sound of their seemingly timeless voices, you would never guess that ten years have passed since we last heard from them. Lyrically, the song’s theme is synonymous with their overall message of rebelling against contemporary society and the empty monotony of anything typical.
Most of the members of the quintet went on their own solo ventures or pursued side projects following the disbandment of Granddaddy. Specifically Jason Lytle, the band’s frontman and main producer, who became so fed up with the chaos of touring that it “almost ruined [his] relationship with music toward the end of Granddaddy”, according to an interview he did with Rolling Stone.
Initially, their reunion in 2012 was intended to be only temporary, with some shows ranging from London to San Francisco. Lytle claims it was Jimmy Fairchild’s fault, the band’s guitarist who suggested that they keep playing shows and festivals. And thank the rock Gods for Fairchild, because some of the band’s most revered singles and collaborations were birthed following their involuntarily permanent reconciliation, such as their collaboration with Band of Horses in 2014 called “Hang an Ornament”.
Not only are these guys stoked to release these singles after such an extended hiatus, but they have even more exciting news. They recently announced that they have signed with 30th Century Records, one of Danger Mouse’s multitudinous side projects and an imprint in collaboration with Columbia Records. They are in the studio working on their debut album for the label as we speak, and can be expected to fully return to the music scene this fall.
Before disbanding in 2006, Granddaddy released four full-length albums in three-year successions beginning in 1997. While the lion’s share of these albums were self-produced in home studios by Lytle, the band was signed with Big Jesus, Will, Big Cat, V2, and Good before teaming up with their current label 30th Century. Danger Mouse stated that “Granddaddy has always been one of [his] favorite bands… their new single is up there with their best work and [he is] proud to have them become a part of 30th Century.”
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