Grinspoon - Alibis & Other Lies review

Release Date: 07/21/2007
Label: Universal Records

For their fifth album, Grinspoon have decided to follow in the success of other Australian bands such as Jet and Wolfmother, by writing a more simplistic rock album….as apposed to one that is actually any good. Alibis and Other Lies seems like a very safe album to make and frankly not what I was expecting from ‘The Grinners”

I remember when I first heard Guide To Better Living (Grinspoon’s first major CD) and it absolutely rocked. It was edgy, it was harsh at times and it was fairly unique. Five albums later and we have Alibis and Other Lies, which has nothing unique about it and very little that actually sounds like Grinspoon. To top it all off, this album is delicately sprinkled with soft ballads that, while sometimes are kinda cool, get quite annoying after the third one. If I wanted a CD full of 70’s rock and soft ballads then I would probably go out and buy Mr. Big’s greatest hits!

It’s not all bad. Alibis and Other Lies is listenable. You could easily put it on and get through the entire CD without wanting to switch it off. But that’s not what I want from a Grinspoon CD. I want to move to it. I want to jump! I want to punch the passenger in my car who just happens to be in there while I’m listening to it. With this CD I may find myself holding my passengers hand, stroking their hair gently while whispering softly in their ear, “This album really blows. Let’s go get a latte sometime.”

This will no doubt see Grinspoon get the minor Australian success and the non-existent international success that they have always had, but it’s doubtful it will get them anymore than what they already have. I for one will not be at the next Grinspoon show because I’m afraid my lighter will not have enough gas to last through all those ballads. BRING BACK THE ROCK!

Rating: 2/5
Choice Lyric: "When you came first in Little Athletics, I was so jealous that I had a tantrum"
Download: What You Got, Minute By Minute