Classic Albums: Under The Western Freeway by Grandaddy + Remembering: Kevin Garcia

I just read the news about Grandaddy’s bass playing and founding member Kevin Garcia passing away a couple of days ago on Monday. Unbelievable he’s died at 41, I just turned that age last month and I can’t imagined what they and his family is going through right now.

So I’m sitting here now, thinking about that and just have started blogging about it. I’ve put on the album Under The Western Freeway too, it was on the to do list of albums for my Classic Albums list I’m making here on this blog. I guessing I’m doing it right now, I do hope it’s not too random or something? I don’t know what to say really because my mind gone blank now.

That video clip was my intro back in the late 90’s to them and it was by way of Aussie TV show rage again. It was Aussie band’s songwriter duo from The Go-Betweens who played it, Robert and Grant had just got back from America. If I remember right Robert Forster just raved about them for about five minutes before playing the song. It was quite a builded up by him and a lot of the times songs can be a bit disappointing on that show when it does come on. Grandaddy was far from it, Summer Here Kids was one if not the best track they played all night.

I guess at the time they fit into to that indie nerd rock thing going on in America in the late 90’s by the likes of Weezer which never liked them at all. Grandaddy was more on the Pavement side of things really I guess but I think enjoy Grandaddy way more than even them. This album is just so epic and fits in perfectly with the other albums from the 90’s I’ve included in this list of mine. Under The Western Freeway was released in October 1997 so it’s just coming up to it’s 20 years anniversary and was the debut album then.

The follow-up album was not out until the year 2000 so they’re remember more as a 2000’s band really with two more albums before breaking up. After the reunion shows it’s the first new stuff for ten years with a new album out only two months ago and an upcoming tour which, I guess is going to be cancelled now. It’s all very sad now but I guess it’s great they got it together to do those reunion shows and recording/releasing new material before this did happened.

I’m not really doing Grandaddy or Garcia justice and it’s getting really late here so I might just sign of now. Thinking and sending all the love I can to them and his family at this time.

Who else loves some Granddaddy out there?

Under the Western Freeway tracklisting and times:

1. Nonphenomenal Lineage – 3:11
2. A.M. 180 – 3:20
3. Collective Dreamwish of Upperclass Elegance – 5:26
4. Summer Here Kids – 3:35
5. Laughing Stock – 5:59
6. Under the Western Freeway – 3:01
7. Everything Beautiful Is Far Away – 5:13
8. Poisoned at Hartsy Thai Food – 1:13
9. Go Progress Chrome – 2:31
10. Why Took Your Advice – 4:07
11. Lawn & So On – 9:04