CD Reviews

The latest album by Victorian outfit Grumpy Neighbour, Boy Sitting on a Bag of Potatoes, is unlike any other I have heard in my life. I mean that in a good way of course. I found it difficult to put a clear label on the group and their album.

Epic is a common everyday term, but I am not satisfied that such a straight-forward, unimaginative label gives it the full justice it deserves. Some albums out there have clear themes to them, but Boy Sitting on a Bag of Potatoes is a musical movie about all else.

From the mellow opening of Count to Ten through to the more rhythmic country sounding Queen of the Castle and the trombone emblazoned Rain in the Dust, the album grabs you by the hand and leads you on a walk through a well thought out and imagined narrative. It constantly does up to the very unpredictable ending with its final guitar plucking, mariachi infused piece, aptly titled Boy Sitting. I won’t be very detailed as far as what the musical movie is about and the courses it takes, after all, you wouldn’t like it if someone told you everything about the latest film at the cinema - it simply spoils the suspense. What I will do is give each and every one of you this piece of advice; listen closely and attentively to each and every second of the album. Like a movie, even if you fast forward ten seconds, that may just be enough for everything to go haywire and you thinking “how did this go to that?” So do yourself a favour and resist the urge to skip anything, not that you would want to with this album.

A masterpiece that must be heard to be appreciated.

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