DeKalb, Illinois is a university town somewhere between the rural soybean and corn fields and the Chicago suburbs. It’s one of those odd loci where the progressive meets the conservative – a place where anything might happen. The aural proof of the phenomenon of unpredictability can be found in this notable independent offering from a trio that calls DeKalb home.
These talented veterans of the mid-’90s Chicago rock scene are Jeremy Heroldt (vocals, guitar, bass and keys), Mark Mattson (guitar, vox, bass, banjo, keys) and Craig Swafford (drums, vocals, horns, vox, guitar, keys and more). As a unit known as Grenadier, they lob eleven potent homemade musical grenades that explode in a variety of styles, presenting Heroldt’s song mix in an eclectic fashion, much like his hero Robert Pollard has done with Guided By Voices. Freed from the pressure of paying for studio time, these three create an odd but richly compelling musical tapestry that unwinds with knowing ease.
Hand Offensive takes a few rotations for proper acclimation. Once the listener obtains a certain “DeKalb frame of mind,” the charms of this music will win you over. There’s a certain laidback ease to the proceedings, and little musical nuances flavor each track.
The soothing rhythms of “Death Ray” open the CD, a fairly amiable rocker of with lyrics that refer to our media-saturated existence, suggesting we ultimately acquiesce to this mysterious ray.
The bluesy “Easily Swallowed” is about the lies and excuses we sell to ourselves to get by: “Have you tricked yourself before / about the value of the door / and how it is viewed / it’s a hard chore to choose / systematically confused / more easily swallowed than chewed.”
“Karma See Thru” is a plodding yet optimistic ballad, occasional harmonies expounding upon a clearing out, a karmic second chance. It’s no ordinary musical journey, but one that’s well worth the listen. “Boys of Rage” follows suit in similar fashion (with a few different noises included).
The synthesized sounds of the instrumental “Turdler” provide a minute or so of musical diversion. This is followed by the fine poppy “Powerless,” a short but infectious offering.
I’m not exactly sure what “Gods Of Gravity” is about, but I know it’s another light and catchy track. “Way Too Close” offers a musical criticism about the inherent phoniness attached to sales techniques (well, kinda).
“Smile Away, Pt.2” is a pleasant nostalgia trip, a journey of someone whose loving dedication is reaffirmed by memories. “Sucker List” has a rougher edge to it than the other songs here – a hint of punk energy igniting it and driving it home. The CD closes with “Listen Now,” a quieter affair that explores crowd dynamics during a troubled protest march.
There’s a lot of musical quirks in what Grenadier presents (some of the lyrics are a bit confounding, and there are some occasional lapses) but there is much to enjoy throughout. Hand Offensive is a most auspicious debut from this trio, and Heroldt’s songs have a lot to offer. Many of these tracks follow in the tradition of GBV, The Shins, and The Flaming Lips (and others of that ilk); the production allows the ease of the music to flow well, and the quality shows in the end.
Overall this is one fine indie disc, one that may take several listens to truly “get,” but the musical rewards are there for those who’ll invest the time. For Grenadier, DeKalb is the war zone – for the rest of us, we merely need find a comfortable bunker and some good headphones.