What Grandaddy frontman Jason Lytle described as
“erosion” when referring to the state of his band is
only an afterthought considering the repair that comes in the form
of the band’s fifth and final album, “Just Like the
Fambly Cat.”
Though the band might have broken up for good, it stayed
together for a final comeback, and a shimmering one at that.
“Just Like the Fambly Cat” has a fair number of
energetic, up-tempo songs, such as “Elevate Myself” and
“Disconnecty,” which drive the beat of the album. But
it’s the more wandering, dream-pop tracks that carry it.
“Jeez Louise” kicks off the album with a blast of
signature spacey noise-pop, then seamlessly segues into the
yearning tune of “Summer…It’s Gone,” the
feeling of which echoes in the somber shoegaze-fuzz “Guide
Down Denied” and the resigned “This Is How It Always
Starts.”
“The Animal World” soon stumbles along, providing
what Grandaddy is loved for: uplifting vocal harmonies and trilling
synths against a backdrop of a metered chord progression.
Grandaddy departs forcefully with the final “Shangri-La
(Outro),” with a soprano vocalist supported by weeping string
sections and keyboard arpeggios, ending the band’s last work
on a note of despair, but a high one nonetheless.