Description
Grace and Dire Circumstances is the sophomore and finalalbum by the American alternative rock band Farewell to Juliet, released on Marathon Records in 1998. The album was produced by Jeff Elbel and Mark Rubel.
Guitarist Greg Lawless of Adam Again fame is featured on “Seven Three One”. Also featuring a cover of The Choir’s “Chase the Kangeroo”.
Farewell to Juliet’s reputation as a Choir clone is not helped by their reverent remake of «Chase the Kangaroo», but that connection seems to suit this band just fine. The Choir-esque sounds aside, the real question is: is there room for another intelligent, artsy modern rock band with a familiar sound? Farewell to Juliet makes a powerful case. Despite their obvious veneration for their favorite band, there is enough other stuff happening in their music – for instance the Rush-like qualities of «Justice» – to set them apart, making them no mere imitators. Not all of these songs are on equal footing, and some seem a bit overlong. Had a wee bit of fat been trimmed, this would have been an even stronger album. The highlights here are worthy enough to sustain the album, however, and special recognition goes out to songs like the moody rock of «Holiday on Ice» and «Bittersweet», rockers like «Justice» and «Thermostat», and modern hymns like «Fear the Lord», a truly wonderful worship experience. It should not be implied that the other songs are mere filler – far from it. They are merely less immediately and subjectively noteworthy. With plenty of respectable songs, this is a slightly uneven but overall admirable collection. Grace and Dire Circumstances is also chock-full of beautiful arrangements and passionately played songs. Jeff Elbel’s varied guitar work is especially exemplary. The lyrics range from insightful to worshipful and poetic to pure fun. The production is laudable. Even the artwork and packaging is top notch. Farewell to Juliet may not have reinvented modern rock, but they are carving their own niche. Of the more obscure indie bands out there, they are clearly one of the most qualified for full-time status due to the quality of both their songs and musical execution. The sum of these parts is atmospheric and arresting, charming and catchy, memorable, and most of all, definitely worth your time and attention. Forget farewell. Why not say hello. [Steven S. Baldwin, The Phantom Tollbooth, 9/15/98]
CD tracklist:
01. Welcome Home – 0:34
02. Holiday On Ice – 5:14
03. Bittersweet – 3:46
04. Browning’s Pearl – 4:41
05. Ever Be – 5:00
06. Justice – 5:37
07. Chase The Kangeroo – 4:19
08. Motions I Know – 5:32
09. Seconds Count – 4:22
10. Thermostat – 4:22
11. Healer – 3:56
12. Seven Three One – 4:46
13. Fear The Lord – 4:42
[youtube_sc url=”jwyp_niA88g” title=”Farewell to Juliet – Seconds Count” autohide=”1″ rel=”0″]
CREDITS. Produced by Jeff Elbel and Mark Rubel.
Musicians: Farewell to Juliet – Brant Hansen (Vocals), John Bretzlaff (Acoustic Guitar, Vocals), Jeff Elbel (Electric Guitar, Vocals), Stacey Krejci (Bass, Grand Piano, B-3 Organ), Chad Dunn (Drums, Percussion). Additional musicians: Andrew Carter (Guitar – tracks: 9, 10), Greg Lawless (Guitar on track 12), Peter Linder (Cello on track 2), Rob Dickinson (Spoken Choruses on track 10), Matt McCabe (Occasional Loops, Textures).
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