Grand Atlantic

Constellations - Much hyped Aussies go their own way on album three.
Despite numerous successful overseas jaunts, a song on the Gossip Girl soundtrack and favourable comparisons to Jet, Grand Atlantic have gone against expectations on album number three not only by releasing it on their own, but by eschewing the power-pop of their previous records in favour of a more shoe-gaze influenced, narcotic take on classis rock. Recorded in an old Dunedin lunatic asylum, Constellations lacks some of the youthful energy of their last album, but like musical peers Black Rebel Motorcycle Club, Grand Atlantic have proved they know how to balance psychedelia with ballsy rock hooks. Matt Coyte - Rolling Stone

Does environment stimulate inspiration or does inspiration dictate the environment?

That’s a question that can be asked over and over regarding Brisbane- based Grand Atlantic’s latest album, Constellations. Whereas their last release How We Survive was an immediately addictive slice of psychedelic-dripped power pop—that quickly climbed into my top-10 release list for the year – Constellations is another acid trip altogether. Recorded in 12 days at the certainly-haunted Seacliff Lunatic Asylum near Dunedin, New Zealand, Constellations seems to be a reflection of that psycho-geographical location. Dark, almost infinitely dark, compared to the light urgency of garage pop in How We Survive, Constellations echoes with hidden spaces, chilling touches, and near phantasmagorical breaths. Spectral forms seem to duck in and out of the shadows, dark spaces hiding in the music, while the hint of distant poltergeists lingers.
Sure, I might be making too much of this . . . but maybe not.
Lead singer/songwriter Phil Usher claims the band had quite a few “strange experiences” while there, from voices to strange sounds, to moving microphones. The boys even go so far as to thank “the ghost voices of the past/present residents of Seacliff” on the liner notes.

But it’s more than that.

Dale Cotton’s production is definitely of the moment. Thick and claustrophobic, barely any light seems to escape from the spinning CD. None of that is to say that the album is a downer, it’s not. But it’s a different record from How We Survive, for sure. Now, in fairness, having traveled with the boys, I remember clearly Phil and drummer Mat Von
???Diehm telling me that they wanted something different with their next album after How We Survive. They wanted something darker, more swimmingly psychedelic, less poppy and more adventurous. So perhaps in this case it was the inspiration dictating the environment.

Whatever the case, the results are spectacular.

Kicking off with the mid-tempo swirling vibe of “Searchlight” it’s clear this isn’t Grand Atlantic’s attempt at a breakthrough pop record. Thick waves of guitar pummel like waves battering the shore. Phil’s voice breaks through in all its rough-hewn glory, as the band breaks it down. Von Diehm keeps it steady until Sean Bower’s bass and Morgan Hahn’s chiming 12-string come racing back in . . . like the wind sweeping through a broken asylum window. The song is haunting, in the truest sense. Dense and thick, even through the moments of stillness. It certainly sets the tone.
And that tone is laid down for “Central Station Blues” the first of several terrific rockers on Constellations. Von Diehm adopts an extra set of arms to lay down the beat with Dale Cotton on congas, while Sean quickly grows a bonus set of fingers, which race up and down the bass in percolating time. Phil unleashes a steady garage terror on top of this foundation, with he and Morgs layering guitar and effects on top with maniacal abandon. And there, amidst the walls of guitars and the impenetrable production, is what Grand Atlantic does so well. Garage rock guitar licks sear through the mix with Phil’s trademarked mastery of melody and hooks. Throughout the song, and album, Phil’s voice –best described as a hoarse whisper—is perfectly in tune with the songs. A soaring, infectious cut.

From there the album goes on, dipping and dropping in mood and tone. “Carved from Stone,” is an assault of brick walls of guitar, barely contained within the framework of the CD. “Constellations” is a gorgeous, mid-tempo, semi-acoustic ballad, laced with touches of post-psychedelic Beatles, The Church, and the Brisbane-rock scene, completed with hypnotic guitar work courtesy of Morgs.

One of the things that separates Constellations from How We Survive is the immediacy of the listen. How We Survive sucked me in like a pornstar giving a $2 blow job. Immediate and unforgiving. Once in its grasp, there was no way for me to escape. Constellations is different. A slower lover, it requires time and repeated love-making sessions to really appreciate
Grand Atlantic - Constellations -
it’s beauty.
Songs like “Mountains Too Steep,” lack the urgent grab of a How We Survive cut like “Used to be the Sensitive Type.” But still . . . it’s all there, it just takes longer to unfold. And in the end, that might make it a more satisfying lover.

None of that is to say that there aren’t killer urgent tracks on Constellations. There are. The already mention “Central Station Blues” is joined by blow-my-mind rockers like “Poison to the Vine,” “Fresh Ideas In Home Security,” and one of my favorites on the album, “No Man’s Land,” with its ghostly, neo-sitar and haunting voices intro.
With its density of craft, Constellations may not be the album that Grand Atlantic needed to make to burst themselves to the top of the scene, but I get the feeling it’s an album that band needed to make for themselves-- to grow and mature. A work of cerebral intensity, Constellations seems to be a record that Grand Atlantic needed to free from their souls, like a snake sheds its skin, freeing themselves from old confines so they could break out into the new.

With that thought, Constellations is a stunning success. A mind-altering trip of neo-psychedelia that never loses sight of its pop roots. I can only imagine that when the band goes back to the studio and fuses what they’ve done with these last two releases, we’ll have a masterpiece for the ages.

And I know they can do it. --Racer - Ripple Effect

FOR an album recorded in an abandoned lunatic asylum in a far-flung corner of New Zealand, Constellations is remarkably devoid of, well, nuttiness.
In fact, the third long-player from Brisbane four-piece Grand Atlantic is more measured soul journey than psychedelic trip down lobotomy lane.
And Constellations is all the better for it. Laid down earlier this year at the disused Seacliff Lunatic Asylum in Dunedin, Constellations continues the bold, melodic rock sound that characterised the band's 2007 debut This is Grand Atlantic and 2009's How We Survive.
Lead singer Phil Usher's grainy vocal bursts through a dense jungle of reverb to open the LP on the anthemic Searchlights, before the band ups the tempo on agreeable rock ramble Central Station Blues.
Grand Atlantic channels Oasis on the following title track, distorted guitar, falsetto third harmonies and bolshie riffs transporting the listener back to the anti-grunge movement of the mid-90s, before rising to a crescendo of A Day in the Life excess. It's a remarkable track.
The stark Mountains Too Steep and Voyager, a haunting exercise in melodic melancholy, are held aloft by a kind of pseudo-symphonic white noise; a beautiful, if unidentifiable, wall of sound that seems to fill every available space.
Grand Atlantic rocks out on the funky Fresh Ideas in Home Security and the seriously syncopated No Man's Land before drawing on the ghosts of Seacliff and heading into the darker recesses of the mind for the bleak but beautiful acoustic closer Queenie.
LABEL: Independent RATING: 4 stars
Tim Douglas - The Australian

Despite numerous successful over-seas jaunts, a song on the Gossip Girl soundtrack and favourable comparisons to Jet, Grand Atlantic have gone against expectations on album number three not only by releasing it on their own, but by eschewing the power-pop of their previous records in favour of a more shoe-gaze influenced, narcotic take on classic rock. Recorded in an old Dunedin lunatic asylum, Constellations lacks some of the youthful energy of their last album, but like musical peers Black Rebel Motorcycle Club, Grand Atlantic have proved they know how to balance psychedelia with ballsy rock hooks. Matt Coyte. - Rolling Stone

On their debut record, local outfit Grand Atlantic aim to tackle the big guns, ambitiously making a record the way The Beatles or Brian Wilson may have done in the 60s. Self-produced and featuring tracks like 'Coolite' and 'Smoke And Mirrors' which offer a fresh take on the radio-rock/pop tune of the 90s, the album occasionally nods at a greater ambition: single 'Wonderful Tragedy' features a timpani/string/brass intro that might sound like a recent Silverchair ballad, while the likes of 'Burning Brighter' features a timing shift and a 'Getting Better'-like feel that also shows off brass.

The band's execution is flawless and their ambition and passion is incredibly evident, however it's the songwriting and neat construction of each and every song that burns brightest. This Is Grand Atlantic is an incredibly satisfying listen from a band who - judging from this debut - can only go one way: UP! - Time Off - Brisbane

Grand Atlantic are a band out of time - they write exceptionally hooky songs, make exceptionally well made recordings, have received exceptional press and have been exceptionally unsuccessful at cracking the big time. 'How We Survive' is classic guitar pop that leans heavily on Brian Wilson, Ray Davies and The Beatles while asserting a sonic identity rooted heavily in 90s Brisbane rock. The wall of guitars, pounding drums and nasal Liam Gallagher vocals are lent an international sheen by mixer Magoo. Ultimately the album doesn't quite transcend its influences but with half-a-dozen radio friendly tracks and very little filler, 'How We Survive' is the best chance yet for this Brisbane band to take on the world. (Scene Magazine) - Scene - Brisbane

Fans of indie guitar-pop will
know the search for better indie
guitar-pop never ends. There will
always be boys with guitars making
three minute songs that probably
won’t change the world (The
Beatles already did that) but damn
they make you feel good and they
are the soundtrack to moments of
your life: bedroom
contemplations, bopping around
with your mates with a cider in
your hand, and some of the best
ones even do both.
And so it is with Grand Atlantic,
your new favourite big-guitar-plusaddictive-
pop-tune-wielding indie
band. If you said they were from
Britain circa 1994, the band
members would believe you, but
they are in fact from Brisbane, right
now.
Lead singer Phil Usher’s vocal
style is that lovely mixture of sweet
and and gruff, and has the threeminute
pop song down pat. You
can’t fault first single She’s a
Dreamer and title track How We
Survive. There is even a ‘‘sha-la-la’’
refrain on Used to Be the Sensitive.
Type, woohoo! You’ll come over all
14 years old again. Gorgeous stuff
- Canberra Times

The moody and powerful "Coast Is Clear" sets the stage for the new sophomore CD by Australia's Grand Atlantic. "How We Survive" is out to impress and Grand Atlantic is taking no prisoners. Uncompromising in songwriting quality and recording expertise (the record was mixed by Magoo, whose clientele include Midnight Oil and Powderfinger). Sonically, "How We Survive" sounds terrific.

More important, many of the songs also sound terrific, well-written and harboring to-the-point melodies that aim to grab you quick. Grand Atlantic has a sound along the lines of Carolina Liar or O.A.R., masterfully blending driving modern rock riffs with smart pop hooks and spot on harmonies. But Grand Atlantic doesn't stop there - they pay just as much attention to detail in their thoughtful lyrics.

The first single, "She's A Dreamer" fits this bill being a radio-friendly track that has it all. I like "Freeway" even better, which tattooed itself onto my brain even faster - the track is my favorite in the bunch. Other highlights include "Tripwires" and "Hit n Run/So Cold". Pop fans will delight in singling along with the sha la la of the infectious "Used To Be The Sensitive Type", and Jet fans should take note of "Holding Pattern".
- Bill's Music Forum

“… Grand Atlantic have found their groove; they’ve crafted the perfect combination of hooks, riffs and at times, wistful vocals to woo audiences across this country. Their current tour is proving just that. And toward the end of this month thousands will hear it confirmed at SXSW. You will be convinced of what this blogger already knows: Grand Atlantic is on an unstoppable ride in one direction and that direction is most certainly UP. How We Survive is rife with memorable melodies that hearken back to some of the great tunes of the Monkees or some of the early work of REM… Grand Atlantic weaves keen lyrics into musically complex songs that somehow retain a real accessibility…Throughout this record, (Phil) Usher’s vocals range from pure good rock-n-roll cockiness to a more sensitive, acoustic-style rasp; it’s just all good. And then, the last song, “Don’t Say Goodnight” brings it all down to a rather sweet, lullaby-like ending. As How We Survive finds a home with indie audiences in the US Grand Atlantic is here to give it a face. Watch out for this up and coming band.”(Love Shack, Baby, USA) - Love Shack Baby (USA)

“…Grand Atlantic have produced one of my favorite albums of year…Grand Atlantic molds the psychedelic post-punk ethereal moods of their countrymen, The Church, with the shoegazing swirling madbeat of The Stone Roses, and toss in a touch of garage crunch a la Ripple favorites The Thieves just for kicks. The results of this combination of psychedelic distillery are intoxicating…”(The Ripple Effect, USA) - The Ripple Effect

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. 9/10 - powerpopaholic.com

Grand Atlantic "How We Survive"
It's the return of Brisbane's favorite power pop band, Grand Atlantic. And like the debut it goes for those large dramatic hooks and sonic assault which compares well to Oasis. However, the band has stylistically been more streamlined. The large stadium sound on "The Coast is Clear" has a massive bass line that sets the album's tone, and touches on both Progressive and Brit-pop. The strutting guitar riffs and distorted 80's styled synths on "Tripwires" make it a real gem, that flirts with just enough cocky brilliance. "She's a Dreamer" is the radio friendly standard that seems to be getting a lot of attention in native Australia. Mid-tempo tracks like "Freeway" and "Hit N Run" are chiming and hypnotic breaks from the real meat here. That would be the Sgt. Pepper-like percussion and sweet choral breaks on "How We Survive." And the band hits the money shot again with the fast paced "Just Another Ghost Town" and "Holding Pattern." These tracks also have a bit of Madchester baked inside them, so fans of The Stone Roses and The Charlatans will love this as well. It ends perfectly with the Lennonesque "Don't Say Goodnight" and just enough silence for me to hit the repeat button. With the break-up of the brothers Gallagher - I now pass the torch over to Phil Usher and Mat Von Diehm. Viva Grand Atlantic!

8/10
- powerpopaholic.com

Grand Atlantic may be from Brisbane but much of their second album places them somewhere between 1990s Manchester and sun-drenched California. The opening track Coast is Clear, has a real haziness, with the guitars creating the kind of swirling sound that makes the Charlatans spring to mind. The other clear influence is the Beach Boys with oohs and aahs cropping up all over the place. It helps to create a real summery sound, no more so than on recent single She’s a Dreamer, which crashes down in a splash of shimmery pop. Overall this is melody-dripping guitar pop at it’s finest.

3 1/2 out of 5 stars

Paul Smith
Sydney Morning Herald
August 7-13, 2009-08-10

- Sydney Morning Herald