The Brothers Grundy make a return to the recorded world, this time joined by powerhouse drummer Nathan Doucet under the new moniker Heaven For Real. Much like their work as Quaker Parents, the songs onWanton rearrange the tropes of guitar pop into strange new shapes and plant incendiary moments of release where the listener least expects them.
So what’s new? The presence of Doucet is undeniable. His rhythmic patterns are able to stretch out boldly or contort themselves manically to fit the small spaces these compositions necessitate. But perhaps most significant is the new lead role played by J.Scott Grundy. Freed from his position behind the kit with the Quakers, his shimmering guitar tone and weightless vocals calm these songs down (an effect felt most on the opener-on-vacation ‘Love Solo’).
There is still an intellectual fury at play. The songs on Wanton are wound characteristically tight, but there are moments peppered throughout that feel relaxed, where the songs reel rather than convulse. All of which to say, with Heaven For Real, the Grundys continue to make some of the most idiosyncratic and fascinating pop music in Canada. And what’s more, by tinkering so successfully with their own craft, they’ve shown a keen sense of self-awareness and desire to push their own boundaries.
