Grand’s self-titled debut album - released in 2022 – was an unashamedly sleek slice of 1980s influenced AOR. With soaring vocals, sparkling keyboards, hooks galore and lyrics about the freedom of youth or long days on the beach, all the ingredients were there. Fans of the genre enthusiastically received the album and with their second album, Grand look to repeat this success.
Opener Crash and Burn sets scene for the type of material to be found on the majority of the album. Low threatening keyboard, thunderstorm like crashes of echoing drums and sliding electric guitar steadily meld together resolving into chunky guitar riffs and effervescent keyboards. From the outset, it is clear that Mattias Olofsson’s voice could not be any better suited to AOR of this type and he gives everything to every note across the entire album. There is something of John Waite about his style (particularly the Bad English years), his belief in the lyrics and his determination to enjoy every single moment. Crash and Burn is a strong beginning but any listener will know within the first two minutes whether Second To None is an album that they are going to enjoy, endure or turn off by the end of the first track.
Musically, When We Were Young and Leave No Scar continue in a similar vein to Crash and Burn with increasingly polished keyboards, acapella layered harmonies as introductions, lofty, towering choruses and uplifting melodies. Lyrically, not a single track on Second To None places any demands on the listener other than to put the top down (many tracks would be at home on a 1980s Driving Rock collection or the Top Gun or Rocky IV soundtracks) or grab a beer, sing-along and forget your worries for forty-five minutes. When We Were Young looks back at carefree halcyon teenage days and a world of future possibilities, even referencing a particular legendary AOR band. I remember how we danced one night / To that old Journey song / We stayed up ‘til the break of dawn / And sang at the top of our lungs.
Commenting on Grand’s development since their last release, Mattias Oloffson explains, “After the enthusiastic reception of our debut album 'Grand' we found the assurance to embark on a transformative journey with ‘Second to None”. This creative leap led us to traverse uncharted musical landscapes, embracing a myriad of influences that have woven together to craft a more diverse and dynamic album. We hope you will find as much joy in experiencing this album as we have in creating it!" Opening with a trio of songs that all fall within an extremely narrow field might not quite line up with Oloffson’s thoughts and it would be a stretch to say anything on Second To None traverses anything other than extremely well trodden ground; however, Grand have ensured that there is a certain - if not vast - level of variety on the album that enables interest to be maintained.
Rock Bottom has a brawny strut, brings the tempo down considerably and allows the rhythm section to stretch their muscles a little. It is followed by Sweet Talker (complete with brass and a saxophone solo by Kristian Brink) which opens with a riff (that returns later in the song) that would be at home on 5150 or OU812 by Van Halen and a harder groove that makes it one of the more interesting tracks on the album; Second To None would have benefited from a song or two more of this nature as it may have done by separating these two songs on the album.
Production wise, Second To None is intentionally glimmering and lustrous and on occasion a grittier approach would given the album added bite - for example, on the slightly heavier tracks such as All or Nothing and Sweet Talker or some parts of Achille’s Heel – which inexplicably opens with an unnecessary sickly keyboard introduction instead of diving straight into the main riff. Following Sweet Talker, Lily (the most laid-back offering here) feels limp and uninspired. More successful is Kryptonite - Grand’s shot at the power ballad title. A duet with Nina Söderquist about lost teenage love and mix tapes, the inclusion of a female voice works well – despite an overly cheesy spoken word section in the middle of the track.
As the majority of the album is up-tempo, it is mystifying why - as they did on their first album - Grand would end the album with another low-key ballad, Daze of Yesterday. With a slight shuffle of the track listing, Second To None would have a better flow, distribute its variety more evenly and start and end with increased energy.
Second To None makes no attempt to hide its influences (everyone from Toto, Foreigner and Starship to the Stage Dolls, Bad English and Survivor) and for that it should be admired. There are many listeners of rock music who will find all or most of Second To None far too saccharine. However, for those enjoy melodic rock or who lived through the eighties enjoying every up-tempo movie or TV theme song, loved power ballads and glossy, fluid guitar solos and wants to pretend the last thirty-five to forty years never happened, Grand will have you punching the sky and grinning like you are seventeen again.
Written: 15th January 2024
Second to None is released on 19th January 2024.
Watch the video for Crash and Burn below.
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