I, Gemini

In a Nutshell:

Recommended for:

• People with adventurous tastes in music

• Indie pop fans

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Average Rating: 8.1/10

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Pros:

• Incredibly unique production and sound

• Very solid songwriting

Cons:

• Occasionally sloppy performances

I, Gemini is the debut album from fantastically named band Let’s Eat Grandma. Straight outta Norfolk, Let’s Eat Grandma consists of two 17 year-old girls named Rosa Walton and Jenny Hollingworth. Their sound is self-described as “psychedelic sludge-pop.”

Let's Eat Grandma, Photo by: Paul Hudson

MAGICFINGERS:

Progressive weirdness. That is just one of the phrases we can use to describe Let's Eat Grandma's debut album. And that's exactly what you get when you listen to it. However, that's not all you get. The duo, Rosa and Jenny, have masterfully created one of the most unique works of music I've heard in a long time.

First of all, as a huge supporter of weird band names I was excited to listen to this new album just based off that alone. One thing that I love about weird band names is that the listener has no idea what to expect. And that reigns true here as well. Before listening I didn't have a clue of what was coming.

As I was listening, about half the time I found myself asking "what the fuck am I listening to?" And the other half the time I found myself saying "this is fucking awesome". Which I suspect is exactly the kind of response Let's Eat Grandma was going for.

One of the greatest aspects of this album is the range it shows. Tracks like “Deep Six Textbook”, “Chocolate Sludge Cake”, and “Rapunzel” showcase an incredibly interesting experimental and psychedelic sound that is fascinating to listen to. They craftily mesh modern and classical instruments including recorder, keyboards, saxophone, cello, and synthesizers.

Other songs like Sax in the City, and Eat Shiitake Mushrooms are total jams, while Uke 6 Textbook gives a laid back acoustic sound that's really pleasant.

Overall, I am a new fan of this band. It's got a very interesting style that you definitely need to be in a certain mood for. But I'll be curious to see where these girls are heading and what kind of things they'll do moving forward.

Favorite Song: Sax in the City

8.4/10

Let's Eat Grandma, Photo by: Paul Hudson

Jake AKA "SWAGGMASTER JMOE":

Well this was something different.  Rosa Walton and Jenny Hollingworth have created one of the most intriguing and original debut albums in a while, and they’re fucking 17 years old.

This album is predictable 0% of the time.  Just when you might start to get used to a song, Rosa and Jenny throw a sonic curveball at you with some sounds you will have difficulty finding elsewhere.  There are times where I have no clue what instruments they use or how the hell they get some of the sounds that are produced on this project.  If anyone can tell me what the fuck is used for the riff in “Sax in the City” it would be greatly appreciated.

The songwriting on this album is stellar as well.  Every song on this album has a unique identity, and each song blends a whole bunch of different genres together.  Because of this, the album never comes close to getting stale or redundant.  Songs can be ominous and a little spooky like “Deep Six Textbook” or “Rapunzel” and songs can be beautiful and uplifting like “Chimpanzees in Canopies.”  You want a little bluesy riff based music?  Listen to the undeniably catchy riff on “Sax in the City.”  Hell, they’ll even throw in a little rap verse in “Eat Shiitake Mushrooms.”

The only setback this album has is that at times the instrumentation can be a little sloppy.  This is most noticeable on “Chocolate Sludge Cake,” particularly the recorder playing in the intro and the drumming.  However, this is not nearly enough to take away from the fantastic originality and weirdness that is this album.

Favorite Songs: “Chimpanzees in Canopies,” “Welcome to the Treehouse”

8.5/10

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MOM:

I certainly appreciate this album. The genre of Dream-pop really deserves more publicity. The album establishes an unearthly atmosphere which I have always enjoyed very much in such genres. The production of the album is certainly noteworthy. These two girls posses a particular vocal sound that blends perfectly with the bizarre and dreamy accompaniment.

The album also satisfies a musician’s traditional album craving, however it was not crafted to do so. The album was puzzled-together well to emphasize the vocalists, which can often be lost in the backing of such a dreary and muffled genre. With such a heavily synthesized and effected backing, one might be fearful of a complete abandonment of musicianship. Nonetheless, this album contains just the right amount of flair within its intros and fills to keep interest.

Favorite Song: “Eat Shiitake Mushrooms”

7.4/10

If you've just realized that you're really into psychedelic sludge pop like we are, then you should really go buy this album, and keep up with these funky witches from Norfolk.

Check out their website:

http://letseatgrandma.co.uk

Listen on all your fancy tech devices through Spotify, YouTube, Apple Music or whatever floats your boat. Just make it happen.

Next week's album: "Soul Rocker" by: Michael Franti & Spearhead