Dan Croll: Grand Plan Review

 

I think one of the things that sets me apart from a lot of other music reviewers is my lack of music knowledge. By that I mean I don't know much about the musicians, who they worked with on various albums most of the time, and any worthwhile music history before...1996ish. I just really like listening to music and talking about it. I'm not good at this gig. I should research albums, find interviews, or just learn about old bands past what my dad considers to be good music. I don't because I'm a blogger, taking a casual interest in creative writing. Maybe that gives me a more immediate perspective on the stuff I talk about. What's more likely is if I learned more about what's out there in music, I'd change my mind about a lot of the stuff I currently like. Being educated is always better than being a dolt.

So take it with a grain of salt: any old dolt can explain why Dan Croll is so damn easy to listen to.

I've been a fan of Croll's work since the beginning, but it's always come with a caveat: he writes pedestrian music. Everything around it is great, if not very very great. His academia very much shows through, with everything having tight timings, crystal clear recording, and manicured presentation (why shake the tambourine when one slap every other bar will do?). But he has very little to say. Some of this could just be youth; Croll is not a man of anger, angst, or fire. His measured approach is a product of his temperament I imagine, and this leaves us with a man trying to write deeply when he's possibly struggled to feel the depth of emotions he's laying to paper.

It's interesting, then, that the solution he found on Grand Plan was to play to his weaknesses. Instead of creating music that wants to have the pain of the Death Cabs and the panache of the Phoenixes, Dan has written cozy, summery music wrapped in cozy, wintry blankets. Croll is matching his music to his lyrics this time around, and that means putting on your bell-bottoms, growing out your hair and beard, and leaving an uncomfortable amount of buttons open on your shirt (maybe that's a me issue though). That's right, we're going to the 70s. If you're a fan of the Carpenters, you're gonna love this. 

As always, Croll is making some incredible recordings; it's enough to make those original 70s albums feel cheap in comparison. I know a lot of that has to do with the better microphones, easier manipulation of recordings through software, and simplicity of layering available today. That doesn't cheapen this project's educated approach in turn; it is still necessary to put the right recordings together in the right way. Whenever I hear a 70s (for lack of a better term, I told you I'm not good at this) lofi jam, it's the drums and the double-tracked vocals that really get me. The age we live in today makes both of those things so much better; I can't get enough.

It also doesn't hurt to have a producer experienced in the genre to guide you. Matthew E White brought his capability previously shown on both Natalie Prass albums, which are certainly welcome. The genre is well researched at this point, so if you're looking for detailed descriptions of what it sounds like, it would be faster to just listen to it. The one thing you're not going to hear a lot of here is horns; at this moment, I can't think of any spot where they're used. Apart from some sound effects not easily created back then, it's pretty easy to slot it right next to your BeeGees albums without anyone noticing. Even the album artwork fits right in.

That's not to say that all the songs would've been made during that era. It's hard to completely immerse yourself in an era because you're influenced by so much new stuff, too. Take Rain for example: this is a very full sounding song with pointedly not-70s style harmonies (at least from my point of view, ymmv). It could fit pretty well on an acoustic Switchfoot set, for example. Work could have been made for Norah Jones, with it's sultry guitar licks, hums, and violins easing in and out of the track. But they're placed well in the album, distracting you from the era change. I think genre mashups are cool and all, but often the joy is in hearing both. There's something special about not initially realizing you're hearing two eras or genres.

Maybe the lyricism was a stylistic choice as well. Nothing here is overly sappy like the aforementioned groups are wont to do, but they're covering the same ground. I'll take "What if I spoil the fun, what if I'm overcome, like an actor with a loaded gun" over "I'm on the top of the world lookin' down on creation" any day. It's certainly helpful that they appear to be based on Dan's own experiences moving from the UK to LA and back again (see Stay in LA and Rain) and all the melancholy feelings that come with uprooting. Generally I think they're still forgettable, but they're just as easy as the music is. They might even be relatable.

There's space for music that doesn't dredge the bottom of our souls. Artistry tends to value that and insults the rest. Just look at what wins Oscars every year. It isn't the comedies. I think of Daft Punk, Kanye West, and Gorillaz: these are the kings of deep but not sad, imaginative in both dark and light ways. Why was it that Beck had to wait until Morning Sound before he was able to nab Album of the Year? Was Odelay too pedestrian?

No, I don't think Grand Plan deserves those accolades. But it still deserves your attention. You'll have a great few afternoons putting this on and relaxing with a friend. I'm glad I have music for that kind of moment, because try as I might, I'm not relaxing to Around the World anytime soon.

I'm not sure what the reasoning was behind this, but Grand Plan clock in at 36 minutes. That's....short. There are shorter albums out there, no doubt. When On Top released a year later (this review is coming in 2024 so some hindsight can be applied isn't that nice?) with four stellar songs in the same style, one has to wonder why he didn't just wait a little longer. I'm sure there is a reason. Just...when you listen to this album, listen to the EP too. Put it in a playlist or something and you'll get a better experience.  

 7.8/10, Vinylworthy