Grammatics

I first heard of Grammatics when I went to Bloc Party's Bloctober tour here in sunny Sheffield. They were the only support for the night, and I honestly had no idea what to expect. In general, I find that support acts either wow me immediately, or they simply fail to strike a chord.  Grammatics are most certainly the former. So much so, in fact, that I bought the album from the merchandise stand during the set.

Although billed as "indie rock", the influences and styles throughout the self-titled debut album are as diverse as you could possibly imagine.  Citing a list of influences as long as your arm, the band manage to pull off a multitude of styles, even within a single song. Lead singer Owen Brinley heads up the band on guitar, with Rory O'Hara on bass and James Field on drums. Unusually for indie rock, the band also includes Emilia Ergin on cello.

The band have been moderately successful on the gigging circuit for a couple of years now, and released 3 singles and an EP prior to recording the full length album. Many of these tracks made it onto the album, along with a host of new material. The album is highly rated by almost all reviewers, having a Metacritic score of 73, comprising 5 scores of 80 and one of 40.

The album opens with an ethereal intro to Shadow Committee, a song that in itself makes good use of the band's repertoire. Jazz-rock guitar, cello interludes and a combination of guitar noodling, strong drums and a complex bassline. Swinging up a gear into D.I.L.E.M.M.A, the band opt for an almost dance style, incorporating electronic effects and synths into the mix. Also new in this track are female backing vocals from Ergin. Building up from gentle beginnings, the track builds up into a heavier, bass-driven song.

The album continues in this vein throughout, mixing styles and switching the mood of songs make each one a unique listening experience. From the conventional rock of Murderer, the prog stylings of The Vague Archive, the heavy rock anthemics of Broken Wing or the astoundingly diverse Relentless Fours, there is little in the way of filler here.

The latter tracks settle down a little, each having a more conventional down-tempo feel, and the album becomes a lot more mellow, with Cruel Tricks of the Light being the most relaxed song on the album. This is all blown apart again by Swan Song, an apt name for a final track if ever there was one. Starting out forlorn and introspective, it soon picks up a pace and becomes a jolly romp through indie rock territory. More twists and turns in style occur throughout, including darker, grittier moments, culminating with a post-rock/jazz finish.

Some reviews have said that, while the album is technically competent, it is more an exercise in what the musicians can do. I would disagree with this viewpoint. The music is immersive, and no two tracks sound alike. You can get lost in the album, and after a few listens, find yourself anticipating the next break, impatient for more. I have found myself drifting into the music while writing this review, only to suddenly realise that entire tracks have gone by and I've written nothing. This is music to listen to on headphones when you just want to shut out the world.

A new single, Double Negative, has been released to coincide with their current UK tour with Bloc Party. I look forward to hearing it properly, and purchasing the album it is eventually released as part of.

Grammatics home page
Grammatics at MySpace

Stargate Universe

Having been a massive fan of Stargate SG-1 since 2001 and sadly disappointed by the 2004 spin off Stargate Atlantis (SGA), I only allowed myself to become quietly excited about the announcement that they were adding a new series to the franchise; Stargate Universe (SGU).

The idea behind SGU was put to the SY FY channel back in 2007, but due to the writers’ strikes and ongoing issues with the SG-1 films and SGA, it wasn’t until the latter part of 2008 that SGU was finally confirmed.  It aired in America on 2nd October 2009 and will be premiering on Sky One in the UK on 6th October 2009.  Producers Brad Wright and Robert C. Cooper conceived Stargate Universe as "a completely separate, third entity" in the live-action Stargate franchise.  They wanted to produce something completely different from the previous offerings and give the show a more serious and mature feel.

The casting of completely new characters and the decision to not use any characters from SG-1 or SGA on a regular basis was not unexpected, although the obvious crossover with characters such as Samantha Carter, Jack O’Neil and Daniel Jackson from SG-1 was indeed essential. 

Their decision to cast Robert Carlyle (Dr. Nicholas Rush) in a leading role was one which both excited and puzzled me and I have to admit to not being sure how someone who played Francis Begbie so perfectly would fit into such an iconic series.  Another familiar face was that of Lou Diamond Phillips who plays Colonel David Telford, although his role as a permanent or recurring character is left unclear.

The series opens with characters arriving to an unknown place through the Stargate; they are arriving quickly and appear to be running from something.  The story jolts backwards and forwards in time and attempts to explain why these people have arrived here and where they came from.  As the episode progresses we find that these people are from earth and were escaping an attack on their off world base.  They have found themselves aboard an Ancient ship called ‘Destiny’ an old and damaged vessel whose life support system is failing.  They are billions of light years from Earth and unable to establish a wormhole connection to escape through the Stargate.

According to Robert C. Cooper, the essence of the story is "that sort of fear and terror of a tragedy combined with the sense that there is hope for us in the basic ways in which human beings survive".

Although the writers are looking to make this a more serious science fiction series, the inclusion of the character Eli Wallace makes me believe that the traditional tongue in cheek humour will be subtly balanced against the increased levels of drama.

So, without giving too many spoilers, what did I really think?  Honestly?  I loved it.  SGU looks to be more gritty, darker and not as predictable or repetitive as previous Stargate series while still retaining that ‘Stargate’ feel.  Okay, so it isn’t my beloved Stargate SG-1 but then, what would be?  I hope that this becomes a more suitable replacement than Stargate Atlantis ever was and that the series grows and develops into a long standing, successful member of the Stargate franchise.

Stargate Universe on Wikipedia

Stargate Universe official MGM website