Grasscut's '1 inch / ½ Mile' debut stood out as music that blended different styles in a new and interesting way – mostly beat driven but with elements of folk and psychedelia dotted around the edges, not to mention a bit of humour. 'Unearth' builds on the promise of that record, but shifts the focus subtly to songs, while keeping faith with an English pastoral influence. Robert Wyatt, Seb Rochford and Gazelle Twin are drafted in as guests, showing how flexible the music is – and it moves from the darkly shaded moods of 'Reservoir' to 'Lights', a thoroughly invigorating burst of energy. All through it's like hearing an English band from the 1970s fed through the musical blender – but with Grasscut adding unexpected elements to the mix to throw us off the scent a bit. Adding to the intrigue is Ninja Tune's statement that “Grasscut have hidden ten boxes around the country. Each contains a Walkman and a cassette, comprising not only the relevant album track but also a unique shadow version of the same piece. Video and GPS clues as to the location of these boxes are available at grasscutmusic.com.” Go find! You'll then have a companion to a very fine second long player.
5 out of 5
Reviewed By Ben Hogwood
