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Grant Duncan - Album Review: Radiant Sublime

16 Apr 2019 // A review by darryl baser

Grant Duncan is an ex-pat kiwi living and working in Japan. He recorded Radiant Sublime at Momura Studio, in Tokyo.

The first eight songs on the 10-track album sound reasonably similar then right near the end She Rides The Wind is a straight acoustic guitar and voice piece with very minimal lead guitar in the latter stages. It really stands out in a great way.

That said Radiant Sublime is chock full of great quirky indie rock songs. I’d guess Grant Duncan has some Beatles, Fugazi, Grant Heart, and Bob Mould LPs in his collection..

He’s definitely in the singer/songwriter vein and while many of the songs on the ten song album sound similar to each other, they’re all different enough from each other to be familiar, but not repeats of the song just heard.

Grant is also the frontman for Tokyo-based indie pop combo Pavement Candy which perform regularly around the Tokyo live arena and he was also previously the songwriter/bassist and vocalist for NZ rock band The Audio Justice who were finalists in the NZ 2013 Battle of the Bands competition.

Radiant sublime is his second LP in the Spotify arena, although as above, he’s totally no slouch.

All of the songs on this LP rock along well, except for the previously mentioned acoustic number, but song five It’s A Beautiful Day is driven along by an overdriven guitar riff which sound as if it might a heavy touch of the classic Bach inspired I IV V about it.

It’s always too hard to find is a blistering up tempo song, begging the RSI especially for the rhythm guitarist as the palm muted chugging riff is at a cracking tempo.

Duncan opens up the LP with the title track and it is literally all go from there.

Fine LP Grant Duncan.

Rating: ( 3 / 5 )
 

About Grant Duncan

Grant Duncan is a singer-songwriter based in Tokyo, Japan. His NZ/UK origins have certainly influenced his musical direction as the classic grooves of UK pop rock including The Kinks, The Kooks, The Beatles and the Stone Roses are often apparent in his song-writing. Grant writes melodic indie pop-styled tracks and his lyrics are often energizing and thought-provoking.

Grant is also the frontman for Tokyo-based indie pop combo Pavement Candy which perform regularly around the Tokyo live arena and he was also previously the songwriter/bassist and vocalist for NZ rock band The Audio Justice who were finalists in the NZ 2013 Battle of the Bands competition.

Grant wrote and produced a full length album Alliance which was released on Spotify and Amazon on March 25 2018. His follow-up Early Morning Rise will be released on November 1 2018.

Visit the muzic.net.nz Profile for Grant Duncan

Releases

Contemplate
Year: 2020
Type: Album
Radiant Sublime
Year: 2019
Type: Album
Journey To The High Road
Year: 2019
Type: EP
Early Morning Rise
Year: 2018
Type: Album
Momura Demo Tapes - Volume 2
Year: 2018
Type: Album
Alliance
Year: 2018
Type: Album
On Solid Ground
Year: 2018
Type: EP
Momura Demo Tapes - Volume 1
Year: 2017
Type: Album
Regulate
Year: 2017
Type: Album
Either Way, Anyway
Year: 2016
Type: Album
Acoustic Demos 2011-2013
Year: 2014
Type: EP
Blinding Journey
Year: 2013
Type: Album
2009-2012 Collection
Year: 2012
Type: Album
Voices of A Thousand Years
Year: 2011
Type: Album
Two Birds, One Stone
Year: 2011
Type: EP
Stories from Cyber
Year: 2011
Type: Album

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