For what it sets out to do, it's damn near perfect, and what higher praise is there than that?
Throughout Grinderman 2., the guitars and violins pant and howl with a visceral, veteran’s swagger. Late middle age has never sounded so thrilling.
Grinderman 2 is a sequel of sorts, but mostly an improvement. The band has widened their sound and sexual pursuits, but also poked around at the edges of decrepitude.
Instead, there’s a conflation of sexual politics and the very real violence of power on Grinderman 2 that makes it as unnerving as it is invigorating to listen to.
There’s more work required here, more layers to clamber through in the descent down the rope ladder to the tawdry depths of the collective Grinderman psyche. Anyone hoping to howl along to a ‘Depth Charge Ethel’ or a ‘Honey Bee (Let’s Fly to Mars)’ is mostly going to be left shortchanged, albeit with a few exceptions.
Grinderman 2 goes a long way towards solidifying this four-man Bad Seeds mash-up as a distinctive musical act, even as it brings them closer to their parent band’s wheelhouse.
A big step up from Grinderman 1 both lyrically and musically.
Essential track - Heathen Child
An incredible improvement over the first installment in this duo of self-titled records from one of the most enigmatic creative forces in rock music history.
β² = Mickey Mouse and the Goodbye Man, Kitchenette, Palaces of Montezuma, Bellringer Blues
β¬ = Worm Tamer, Heathen Child, When My Baby Comes, What I Know, Evil
βΌ =
Grinderman's Second AKA 2 Studio Album Is A Good Punk Blues Album And Really A Good Album From Grinderman Too Date
1 | Mickey Mouse and the Goodbye Man 5:42 | 67 |
2 | Worm Tamer 3:13 | 67 |
3 | Heathen Child 4:59 | 63 |
4 | When My Baby Comes 6:48 | 65 |
5 | What I Know 3:19 | 55 |
6 | Evil 2:55 | 56 |
7 | Kitchenette 5:16 | 61 |
8 | Palaces of Montezuma 3:32 | 65 |
9 | Bellringer Blues 5:30 | 66 |
#6 | / | NOW Magazine |
#7 | / | Spin |
#10 | / | Uncut |
#15 | / | The Quietus |
#16 | / | NME |
#19 | / | Q Magazine |
#20 | / | MOJO |
#23 | / | musicOMH |
#24 | / | PopMatters |
#35 | / | Paste |