Being from northern California,
Grandaddy always gets compared to
Pavement -- and rightly so, in some respects -- but this probably isn't the best way to start on the band. Some of the tracks on
Under the Western Freeway are more in the
Weezer vein ("Summer Here Kids," "A.M. 120"), and the few that are truly reminiscent of
Pavement are more like Crooked Rain, Crooked Rain's drawling "Range Life" than the angular guitar work more usual from
Pavement. Comparisons aside, what's important is that
Under the Western Freeway is a fairly brilliant album, combining a warm, earnest, and rustic feel with sometimes goofy experimentation (looped drums, bleeping keyboard hooks) -- and it's all very pleasant and friendly. And what's more, these guys can write a solid, catchy melody. A couple listens to tracks like "Nonphenomenal Lineage" and "Go Progress Chrome" make this all too clear. ~ Nitsuh Abebe