GRAND STAND - TRICKS OF TIME - 2002

After listening (and loving) Grand Stand's debut album In the Middle, On the Edge I was really curious what would their sound be with a full band. You know, a group taht releases an album with only instrumentals and using solely keyboards and drums and still making a fantastic CD out of it is clearly not seen everyday. And I'm glad to say this one does not disappoint you a bit. Their biggest influence is obviously Genesis around the time of Wind & Wuthering plus some Camel, Yes and Pink floyd thrown in for good measure. But the sound that emerge form it is very much their own.

The vocals are on the weeakest part. Not that bassist Göran Johnsson does not sing well, he does have a nice, warm voice (even of with a heavy swedish accent), but it is clear that the band would improve quite a bit if they had a singer as powerful as the players in the band. Aside from that small detail is hard to find any fault with this record: fantastic keyboards much in the vein of Tony Banks and Peter Bardens, fine melodic guitar lines all over the record and a very tight, precise, rhythm section (the drummer are very creative). The arrangements are tasteful and varied. But the group's most notable talent lies in their songwriting: all the tracks are excellent and there is no fillers. In fact, there is no pointless display of virtuosity nor too much noodling.. This is clearly the case of team players

There are no highlights, as all the tracks flow smoothly when you hear the CD, but I might say I have a soft spot for the instrumental Words Are Not Enough and the beautiful, gentle, Waiting For Water (Johnsson's voice fitting very well here). In fact, the album seems to be shorter than it really is (always a good sign !). The production, done by Hansi Cross, is very good.

Conclusion: an excellent work! It's amazing that not so many people know this gem. I really hope they release a follow up soon. My rating shifts between 4,6 to 5 stars. I'll round up to five, because it fits perfectly with my personal taste. Highly recommended.
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