A one-man band who records and mixes together amazing songs that sound better than a lot of bands with four or five members. From Derby, England, Grawlix the one-man band helmed by musician James Machin (formerly of My Psychoanalyst), does just that.
Not even a year since founding Grawlix, Machin fittingly dropped his debut album, “Good Grief”, in mid February. This is an album all about love and heartbreak, full of raw emotion and despair and the inevitable contradictions of the foolish heart , Its an accomplished album,
Good Grief‘s sonic journey is full of fuzzy, warm guitars, hauntingly beautiful piano melodies, and Machin’s wonderfully pained vocals that morph from moments of whispery, hushed melancholy into uplifting and flourishing choruses that quickly wash away any remnants of despair or discord, providing hope to a world that is too often plagued by darkness. Grawlix lovingly blends all of these elements with sounds of ambient folk, shoegaze and dream pop on tracks like “Run Forever” and “Atlas Bear”
You can hear James Machin’s self-professed musical influences in these songs Bon Iver, Perfume Genius and Panda Bear, among others – are clearly beckoned, and well represented, but never imitated; Machin is a gifted songwriter, and a talented musician, Good Grief is a fine release, the band will be at the Maze on Mansfield Road in April.
The Fat Angel Sings 