Thursday, January 7, 2016

Indie Music: Daniel Grinberg "Short Stories"

by Germar Derron

"80 Years" started. I heard noise--a quiet but very audible hiss beneath a very been there heard that guitar. My eyes rolled so hard that I still have a headache. And then the vocals began. I'd unfairly rushed to judgment. The vocal paired with the guitar was like the perfect wine with the perfect steak. For the first time, during a review, I clicked that little heart on Soundcloud, then I clicked "follow."

The album is titled Short Stories. That's a very appropriate title. If I could rename it, I might choose ft Alex. Her vocals are beyond beautiful--they're perfectly placed, dripping with something I want badly, and highly emotive.

Short Stories, the title, works because each song does feel like a selection from a book . . . of short stories. Yes, most songs tell a story. No, no they don't, but some do. But I don't really mean beginning, middle, end, rising action, and resolution. I felt what I feel when I read a good story, when I listened to Short Story--agreement, pain, warmth, and curiosity plus wonderment.

I'm not surprised that I like Short Stories. After all, this was my life for years. Some call it indie pop or pop rock. I called it coffeehouse rock. And maybe that classification unfairly limits what this is. It's standard coffeehouse content until the band kicks in, and the backing vocals--with a nice arrangement, mix, and production throughout.

Clearly, I lean heavily towards any track featuring Alex, but Aveva Dese snatched my ears on "House of Dreams." Overall, the artists are talented and versatile. The sound is consistent, but the vocalists and instruments don't mimic performances, including the same vocalists on multiple tracks.

While the lyrics aren't complex, they are important and purposeful. I like it. "Thanks."

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