For
Grand Mal's third full-length,
Bad Timing, the band works with its rock & roll strut and campy appeal for a divine garage rock romp. It's obvious that these New York City boys worship the sexy rule of 1970s rock gods --
David Bowie,
Mick Jagger,
MC5 -- but they're not entirely consumed by such an image either.
Grand Mal is strict in defining its own brand of rock & roll on this record, and producer
Dave Fridmann (
the Flaming Lips,
Mercury Rev,
Mogwai) keeps
Grand Mal in line. While
B.R.M.C. turns up the amp all the way,
Grand Mal sticks to a lower volume to allow
Bad Timing to simply arrive. Songs like "Old Fashioned" and "1st Round K.O. offer a subtle swagger, whereas "Get Lost" and the gospel-tinged "Black Aura" tame the band's ambitious playing style for something more inviting.
Grand Mal isn't going for anything bombastic with
Bad Timing, but it's a good dose, a healthy spoonful of new millennium indie rock. ~ MacKenzie Wilson