BRAIN FOOD

Two years into active recording as a solo artist, Sébastien Gramond opts for a double album. While this would generally be something that many artists aspire their entire careers towards, Gramond manages to accomplish it an release it independently shortly after getting into the game in earnest. While 'Brain Food' is indeed the best thing Gramond had done yet, there is the feeling throughout the record that it may have greatly benefited from some serious editing and added cohesion, because as good as most of the music here is, not all of 'Brain Food's two discs is worthy.

Four albums in, Gramond can be seen solidifying his style into something more recognizable and signature; a blend of classic rock and jazz. From the previous album 'Sébastien Gramond's One Man Show', one can hear some distinct improvements in the execution and performance of this music, most particularly the vocal work Gramond employs for the harder rocking tracks. While Gramond's voice still is not particularly strong at any point here, there is a massive difference from the downright unpleasant singing of the last two albums. Luckily, gramond has now been able to channel his voice into something quite a bit more professional-sounding, which more appropriately fits the otherwise excellent musicianship Gramond demonstrates with all other instruments here.

The songwriting here generally isn't the most memorable, seeming to lack the necessary vocal hooks, or- on the other hand- vicious experimentalism to create something that really sticks. However, the jazzier and more progressive moments do stand out from the rest. A strength and weakness of 'Brain Food' is the fact that it is far too eclectic and varied to give any running sense of flow or cohesion to it. While the wild diversity of the music does lend itself to being more interesting than a record that would only adhere to one given style, it's hard to follow the album as a listener when one song might be greatly different from the one that follows.

A very interesting addition Gramond seems to have incorporated into his sound is a greater sound of prog. 'Lost In Confused Thoughts' for example, features Gramond's French accentuated voice singing in a very erratic and rhythmic way that seemsl ike it was pulled out of the Frank Zappa handbook. Unfortunately, the album does get a bit too ambitious for its own means at times. 'Until The Last Prayer (Part II)' for example, takes up the last seventeen minutes of the last disc, but doesn't constitute an epic, although it is blessed with some very groovy ideas.

The flaws and strengths kept in mind, 'Brain Food' still stands as the strongest thing Gramond had done at this point, and witnesses another very marked improvement in the craft of this man. An ambitious and interesting double album.