The Bottom Line: Grant-Lee Phillips once again proves that he is one of the most luminous singer-songwriters of this decade. Virginia Creeper an intimidatingly good release.
lambchops's Full Review: Virginia Creeper by Grant Lee Phillips
Dearest Grant-Lee, oh how I love thee…
Damn, that rhymed. Let me start over from a more conventional and useful perspective. Grant-Lee Phillips is awesome. I don’t mean that (entirely) in a fan-girl sort of way, but after three solo albums and a slew of releases with the band Grant-Lee Buffalo it is hard to think of Phillips in any other manner. Simply put, he rocks my socks.
More complexly explained, Phillips is one of the most impressive singer-songwriters of this musical era. His beautifully assembled, not to mention incredibly sentimental pop-rock strikes a major chord in me. A slice of crystalline Americana, Phillips weaves together with expert ease a complex amount of intelligence with melodic pop simplicity. This has been a trademark especially beginning with his solo debut in 1999 on Ladies’ Love Oracle and through 2001’s Mobilize. 2004’s Virginia Creeper is a further elaboration on this impressive not to mention career-defining theme.
Grant-Lee Phillips draws upon a most excellent group of influences on his third release. From Robyn Hitchcock to Neil Young and from John Lennon to Bruce Springsteen, Phillips hand picked the most incredible group of singer-songwriters as inspiration. He has, in one fell swoop matured musically and reached out to an even broader audience. Virginia Creeper is the kind of album I can share comfortably and equally with both my square parents and my more musically adventurous sister and friends.
Deceptively mild, Virginia Creeper opens with Mona Lisa. A faintly country piece, Phillips’ voice is clear and rich alongside a guitar, pedal steel, and for that matter a beautiful not to mention unexpected viola. This is music meant to become part of the heart rather than just trying something new for the sake of that newness. Mona Lisa is but another indication of Phillips’ innate writing and performance talent. Fortunately Virginia Creeper has much, much more to offer to listeners than one beautiful song.
Nothing about this album could be considered average, much less troubling. Walking Memory may lack the energy or “hook” to really draw me in but at the same time it is still perfectly produced and impeccably performed. It’s on songs like Lily-A-Passion that Phillips makes up for anything that even comes close to resembling forgettable. His unique pop voice is richly delicate as it sings the catchy verse. Of particular note is the proven fact that Phillips is a master of the melody—he time and time again comes through as far as choruses go.
Virginia Creeper ebbs and flows along nicely. This is the kind of easy, modest album that works most perfectly on a lazy afternoon. Calamity Lane picks the languid pace up with a jangly folk rock opus. I appreciate the upswing in tempo, but it is Josephine of the Swamps that really attracts my attention. It is strange and beautiful in a slightly off-kilter and backwoods sort of way (a function of the banjo). It is here that Phillips truly shines most brilliantly. He has stretched the boundaries of normalcy without overstepping. Seriously—music just doesn’t get better than this. And his lyrics? Well, they too are extraordinary, not to mention thought-provoking:
Oh the slough winds all serpentine
Full of black delta peat
Yellow bronze grapes of muscadine
Growing wild and sweet
On the shore lady, there ya were
In your robes of a queen
And you lips sang a heron’s song
In my hour of need
Phillips continues to impress with the four songs that wrap his third album up. Most notable, however, is album closer Hickory Wind. In a stroke of genius, Phillips places one of his most luminous offerings at the end of Virginia Creeper. A cover of the Buchanan/Parsons classic (previously performed by The Byrds, Joan Baez, Emmylou Harris and others), it is simultaneously simple and ornate. Phillips does a masterful job on reinterpreting the track.
It’s hard to say much negative about Virginia Creeper. If I have to attach one negative thing to the album, it would be that it is rather slow to build and must be carefully digested to fully appreciate the songs. Phillips doesn’t let listeners off easy—he expects us to think. But at the same time, he still assembles songs that both easily attract attention and resonate well after they have left the speakers. Nice job, Mr. Phillips, nice job.
Rating: 4.5/5 stars
Track Listing:
01. Mona Lisa
02. Walking Memory
03. Lily-A-Passion
04. Dirty Secret
05. Always Friends
06. Calamity Lane
07. Josephine of the Swamps
08. Far End of the Night
09. Susanna Little
10. Wish I Knew
11. Hickory Wind
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