The moment grandkids everywhere have been waiting for is finally here - grandson's debut full-length record, Death Of An Optimist is out. It was released on December 4th, 2020. Comprised of 12 tracks which consist of a lot of politically-fueled rage and self-reflection, this album has been ravished by fans, AKA "grandkids." A movie will follow a backstage look at this album, showing an exclusive look at grandson’s music, art, and activism, and a live performance of Death Of An Optimist in it's entirety, including exclusive content from the road, in the studio, and more. It will premiere on Thursday, December 17th, and you can buy tickets to the livestream event here.
Read on for a review of Death Of An Optimist.
You’re introduced to the album with the click of a cassette, and then a melancholy guitar riff fitting for the title of the intro, "Death Of An Optimist." grandson croons that title over the chorus of the track and it really sets the mood for the rest of the record. Over the course of the next few songs you’re faced with the inner monologue of someone fighting to see the good in the world when there’s almost nothing good left to find. This journey is strenuous, putting a lot of weight on the backs of those willing to make it. Sometimes it feels as though it might be easier to give up and just go with the status quo. But grandson is clearly driven and willing to push through the struggle in order to find good where he can, despite the mental strain it clearly puts on him, as told in the lyrics of these songs.
Motifs of looking for hope in a seemingly hopeless world and trying to find your place in it all are carried throughout Death Of An Optimist, through tracks that both surge with energy and sadness. This juxtaposition between the almost chaotic experimental sounds on tracks like "WWIII," & "Identity," and the smooth vocals on others like "Pain Shopping," and "Left Behind," take listeners on a journey through the mind of grandson, and it’s one you should definitely experience.
While there is a lot of self reflection embedded in these songs, there is also anger and resentment. Whether this anger is either at oneself for not being able to easily get through the challenges of simply being alive, or at the peace the world seems to be lacking at this point in history, can be left up to the listener's interpretation. grandson is known for both his electronically & experimentally driven Alt-Rock sound, and his way of tackling tough issues in potent lyrical prose, and this debut album definitely doesn’t stray away from that. The overall sound is quintessentially grandson, with some more flavor. Having a full, well rounded album with 12 tracks to dissect that all sound different yet piece together to fulfil this cohesive image and story is a stunning feat, and one extremely well executed.
"...pushing forward is the only option, and we have to do it together."
“Pain Shopping,” “WWIII,” and “Riptide” would have to be my favorites on the record, but I also feel especially drawn to both the intro and the outro. The intro does just what it’s meant to, introduces the album and the elements spread through the succeeding songs but it feels like there’s a shred of ambition tangled through the despair. Then, the outro starts with the same click of the cassette we heard in the intro, which creates a perfect “full-circle” moment. While there are a lot of similarities to the pace and overall feel between the intro and outro, to me the outro feels a little defeated. As if after all the searching & fighting over the course of the album, both with himself and the world, the grandson feels burnt out and lacks the drive to push forward and continue looking hope in this hopeless place. The outro gives the impression that it would be easier to just stay locked away in this paradise that consists of four walls & the contents of your own mind. I feel drawn to both because they feel like a reflection of struggles I’ve faced myself. Struggling through mental health issues and not knowing how hard that fight would be until you’re thrown into it yourself. Struggling with the fear that nothing you do will be seen as impactful, or good enough. The struggle of wanting so badly to give up, but some small spark keeps you driving forward, be that a movement you stand behind and want to see through to the finish, or someone you love, or that voice in your head that tells you to just get up and try again. It might feel sometimes that it would be easier to ignore that voice and give up completely. But pushing forward is the only option, and we have to do it together.
Overall, this album is everything the grandkids could have hoped for, yet nothing we could have ever dreamed of. It’s a welcome addition to grandson’s discography, and a huge milestone for him. To say I'm proud of him would be an understatement.
Stream Death Of An Optimist on Spotify here, or on whichever platform you prefer.
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