The Grand Gestures

‘Second’ is the second – see what they did there – release from the collective that is The Grand Gestures: a kind of Spare Snare side project that’s grown legs (around 20 of them).
The logistics are same as last time i.e. backing tracks posted out for singers and writers to work on and the resultant legend has it that the tunes are recorded in a suburban Glasgow bathroom, followed by a curry (perhaps in that order for obvious reasons).
There are familiar faces and voices, as far as the band are concerned – back from the self-titled album #1 are Jill O’Sullivan of Sparrow and the Workshop, whose ‘Deer in a Cross Hair’ was perhaps the standout track. This time round she provides perhaps the oddest tune on the release with theremins, modems and slide guitar all topped by the little Sparrow (no, not that one)’s confident vocal.
Calamity Horse, Celie Byrne, and Emma Pollock also make return appearances – the latter similarly sounding quite different from how we might expect, with the electronica backing perhaps jarring slightly, but happily, Ms Pollock’s quality shines through. Calamateur is an act is very used to oddball electronic judderings and his tune works well, while Sanjeev Kohli is back to reinterpret the term ‘surreal’ with Brian May the subject of ridicule and possible legal proceedings.
There are new additions to the happy band – folk singer Pauline Alexander breaks out of her comfort zone with some success, while journalist and author Tom Doyle’s musical leanings shine through (as do the spirits of equipment owned by The Associates and Human League). Bdy_Prts is another new name with a mesmerising trance beat and vocal, while RM Hubbert – himself a collaborator in his award-winning 13 Lost and Found release – breaks new ground with his post-flamenco guitar overriden by some industrial-strength electronic pop.
In his Spare Snare guise Burnett is well-known for his early lo-fi approach, but perhaps less credited for some elaborately-produced later releases, each achieved under the same bedsit DIY restrictions. With The Grand Gestures he has similarly managed to concoct an album that is greater than the sum of its (considerable) parts.

thegrandgestures.com