dilute

Item: Grape Blueprints Pour Spinach Olive Grape
Author: BW Diederich

Grape Blueprints Pour Spinach Olive Grape

(2001)

Reviewed by BW Diederich

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Label 54 40' or Fight RecordsDecapolisSeptember 2002

math rock post-rock

dilute are a four piece from Fremont, California. "Grape Blueprints Pour Spinach Olive Grape" is their second full length released in one year (2001) by 54 40' or Fight Records.

"'This can't be happening' Oh, but it is."

I'm going to go out on a limb and say this is something entirely different for all of you. This record is at once disturbing and beautiful, mathy in parts and equally jumbled in others. Deerhoof, Karate, and Rumah Sakit have had horrible children with intense imaginations who just have to make music.

"Grape Blueprints Pour Spinach Olive Grape" is made of 8 tracks all strung together by guitars played like rain and vocals like children. These lyrics are jarring and controversial and frail. "I'm a child with a gun, I just might murder everyone," to "Having a heart gets in my way, so I rip it out every day." This isn't a lyricist trying to prove something to you; he's writing and singing because he has to. He has to sing despite his awkward, endearing voice (part 6 year old, part kinsella) and despite his awkward thoughts. There aren't many of those out there right now.

For those who want to get down to brass tacks, the music is guitar based and would most accurately be called something like mathy post-rock? Extended sections of beautiful and/or violent music abound all over, interspersed with few vocal passages. The influences listed above certainly are noticeable in parts, but more noticeable are the sections where every influence is smashed to bits underneath the overwhelming force of their creativity.

"Grape Blueprints..." is divided into two parts. The second is the more dynamic of the two for sure. The last two songs are triumphant. Bringing to mind godspeed you black emperor! or Mogwai for just a minute, only to have those influences buried again under dilute's own beautiful noise.

I have to admit this record was hard to review. I think dilute is a band that deserves to be heard, and although this was released a little bit ago, I think it's more than relevant now. I got chills the first time I listened to it all the way through. Especially the first time I heard that voice.

I'll say it again, this will be something entirely different for most of you. Challenging and comforting all at the same time. Highly recommended.

A-