For
those who didn't read my previous review on The Grape and the Grain's
self-titled full length debut album, it's
probably time you did so, then come back for this. All four songs on
this EP are acoustic versions of "The Hudson," "BurntBy The Sun," "The Devil and the DEA," and "If Godis Love" from that disc.
While
the tunes are definitely recognizable as acoustic versions of their
electrified doppelgangers, the different pace and mellower vibe give
these tunes an entirely different feel. "The Devil and the
DEA," an story-song about a DEA raid changes tone remarkably.
The original version's urgency felt frenetic, like a video soundtrack
for an episode of COPS, plays in real time; whereas the acoustic
version's speed flows like a pot-hazy memory. More than unplugged
versions of the tunes, these re-tooled tracks achieve a radically
different feel.
The
original disc rocked loud, hard and in your face. Compared to the
rush-hour grip of the original "Burnt By The Sun" and "If
God Is Love" their At
Home
counterparts enjoy a Sunday drive through wine country. This
comparison pre-supposes a lack of hatred for your commute, of course.
As an electrified track, "The Hudson" doesn't quite have
the same in-your-face pace of the other tracks covered here, thus its
acoustic twin becomes really mellow and bluesy.
These
four unexpected sonic gems add a new flavor to the band as well as
their original tunes. The At
Home
EP should win some more fans for a band that needs to break big.
This acoustic rendering of tunes sheds light on why
acoustic versions exist in a way other "unplugged"
collections fail.
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