- Audio CD (1 July 2006)
- Number of Discs: 1
- Format: CD
- Label: Commercial Marketing
- ASIN: B000EU1LGS
- Other Editions: Audio CD | Vinyl | MP3 Download
- Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars See all reviews (13 customer reviews)
- Amazon Bestsellers Rank: 49,580 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)
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Amazon.co.uk Review
If ever there were a band built to fade away rather than burn out, Grandaddy were it. For all their many highs they nearly always sounded like the batteries were running low. Sumday, their last album proper, especially was the sound of a band bumbling towards a dusty horizon with a squiffy smile and a tranquilizer dart hanging from a main artery. So to meet a resurgent Grandaddy is not only surprising, it also verges on cruel--they already have one foot out of the door following their split earlier this year. This goodbye album, in the context of the band alone, is remarkable for its success rate, not to mention its pulse. It makes a pretty bold statement in the context of the wider world too.
It may not be directly comparable to their hermetically-sealed psychedelic masterpiece The Sophtware Slump, but it does draw brightly from all aspects of their existence and feels like it’s sticking right behind the pace-maker. It doesn’t slump once. "Jeez Louise" is old school Flaming Lips weird pop with the wind in their beards and the phaser guns out; "Summer.. It’s Gone" is a gorgeous weightless acoustic ditty; "Rear View Mirror" is a box of 70s rock riffs in space and "Skateboarding Saves Me Twice" sounds like a synthesised Belle & Sebastian backing track on laughing gas. As posthumous releases go it is a triumph and needn’t just rely on the charity of loyal completists.--James Berry
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
12 of 12 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD
In January, after ten years, four albums and citing the reliable stand-by of 'irreconcilable differences', Grandaddy decided to call it a day. However, despite announcing their break-up, the band decided to record Just Like The Fambly Cat as their swansong. The result is an album that, due to its variety, is the perfect distillation of the Grandaddy experience - so much so that it could easily be a greatest hits package, were it not for the fact that all of the songs are new.
Beginning with a gentle piano refrain, Just Like The Fambly Cat opens with the same sadness and trepidation that one should expect for the final installment of Grandaddy's musical odyssey, but from thereon in the band run the gamut of their sound. So, while there's plenty of invention, many of the tracks pay homage to songs previously released by the band.
In fact, Jason Lytle and his band even retreat as far back as their relatively obscure, lo-fi debut, A Pretty Mess By This One Band, on Skateboarding Saves Me Twice, Jeez Louise is the perfect pop song with which the band made their name and easily the equal of A.M. 180 from their sublime full-length debut, Under The Western Freeway, and Elevate Myself too recalls the funky, fuzzed-out soundscapes of their full-length debut. Summer... It's Gone, meanwhile, is the forlorn cousin of their 1997 breakthrough single, Summer Here Kids. If that single marked Grandaddy's arrival, then Summer... It's Gone is, perhaps the perfect farewell.
Last year's Excerpts From The Diary Of Todd Zilla, with its emocore leanings, was an indication that band leader Jason Lytle was still prepared to try new things, and Just Like The Fambly Cat does occasionally push in new directions - witness the thrash punk of 50% and the operatic album closer, Shangri-La - but no matter what genre the band mould for themselves, the subject matter comes as little surprise. With their final album, Grandaddy finally pull themselves away from the technology dominated world that they lambasted on their seminal album, The Sophtware Slump. The Animal World, with its barking dogs and chirruping birds, marks the beginning of this journey towards a more organic place, while the dreamy Guide Down Denied is also concluded with the sound of a dog barking.
Lyrically, Lytle doesn't give much away, but the reflective Where I'm Anymore has him admit, "I don't know where I'm anymore", and the dominant refrain of the six-and-a-half minute drama of album closer This Is How It Always Starts - the beautiful and fitting Shangri-La outro goes unmentioned on the album's sleeve - is, "Oh shit, I can't let them see me like this".
Taken purely on its musical merits, Just Like The Fambly Cat is an album where astral synths fuse with acoustic guitars to form a distorted pop framework; where its creators, ambitious as ever, reach further than perhaps it is wise to. But, more than anything else, it's Grandaddy's final album and as such, was doomed to perfection from the start.
Beginning with a gentle piano refrain, Just Like The Fambly Cat opens with the same sadness and trepidation that one should expect for the final installment of Grandaddy's musical odyssey, but from thereon in the band run the gamut of their sound. So, while there's plenty of invention, many of the tracks pay homage to songs previously released by the band.
In fact, Jason Lytle and his band even retreat as far back as their relatively obscure, lo-fi debut, A Pretty Mess By This One Band, on Skateboarding Saves Me Twice, Jeez Louise is the perfect pop song with which the band made their name and easily the equal of A.M. 180 from their sublime full-length debut, Under The Western Freeway, and Elevate Myself too recalls the funky, fuzzed-out soundscapes of their full-length debut. Summer... It's Gone, meanwhile, is the forlorn cousin of their 1997 breakthrough single, Summer Here Kids. If that single marked Grandaddy's arrival, then Summer... It's Gone is, perhaps the perfect farewell.
Last year's Excerpts From The Diary Of Todd Zilla, with its emocore leanings, was an indication that band leader Jason Lytle was still prepared to try new things, and Just Like The Fambly Cat does occasionally push in new directions - witness the thrash punk of 50% and the operatic album closer, Shangri-La - but no matter what genre the band mould for themselves, the subject matter comes as little surprise. With their final album, Grandaddy finally pull themselves away from the technology dominated world that they lambasted on their seminal album, The Sophtware Slump. The Animal World, with its barking dogs and chirruping birds, marks the beginning of this journey towards a more organic place, while the dreamy Guide Down Denied is also concluded with the sound of a dog barking.
Lyrically, Lytle doesn't give much away, but the reflective Where I'm Anymore has him admit, "I don't know where I'm anymore", and the dominant refrain of the six-and-a-half minute drama of album closer This Is How It Always Starts - the beautiful and fitting Shangri-La outro goes unmentioned on the album's sleeve - is, "Oh shit, I can't let them see me like this".
Taken purely on its musical merits, Just Like The Fambly Cat is an album where astral synths fuse with acoustic guitars to form a distorted pop framework; where its creators, ambitious as ever, reach further than perhaps it is wise to. But, more than anything else, it's Grandaddy's final album and as such, was doomed to perfection from the start.
7 of 7 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD
I've only listened to this two or three times since getting it but it's well on its way to being my favourite Grandaddy album. It's not as samey as Sumday (brilliant though Sumday is) and perhaps for the un-initiated, slightly more accessible than The Sophtware Slump (another classic) but it's absolutely un-mistakably Grandaddy, and for that I am truly grateful.
Basically if you like Grandaddy you'll love this, if you don't like Grandaddy, there's something wrong with you.
Basically if you like Grandaddy you'll love this, if you don't like Grandaddy, there's something wrong with you.
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD
And so Grandaddy pass off into the sunset, beaten by apathy. Thankfully they aren't going with the tail between their legs. Just Like the Fambly Cat is a mighty roar of a final album, when all that could have been expected was a whimper.
The signs didn't look good for this final album, what with the band on the verge of splitting up and last year's mini-album Excerpts From the Diary of Todd Zilla being a lacklustre effort saved by two or three tunes. Add to this the fact that the band's last full length album Sumday was easily their worst, too bloated and plodding after the frankly thrilling first two efforts, and it looked as if this once great band were going to destroy the good reputation they had deservedly built for themselves.
Thankfully Fambly Cat proves to be a fitting epitaph for the band, an adrenaline rush that makes you lament the fact that the band are already doomed. The album does what the earlier Grandaddy releases done with ease, a combination of cracking little rocky pop numbers with some sad, beautiful songs that really complimented Jason Lyttle's voice, all the time retaining a sense of humour and playfulness, something that Sumday sadly missed.
Of the rock numbers Disconnecty and Geez Louise are great pop and Rear View Mirror demonstrates more verve than at any other point in the band's career and is a candidate for their best song. Where I'm Anymore and This is How it Always Starts are heart breaking. The album does make a couple of mis-steps, the opener and 50% being particularly poor, and the curse of Sumday rears its ugly head again in the shape that the album is a little too bloated. It could have done with a little trimming but its easy to see why the band would want to include as much as possible.
So it isn't perfect, but then that's kind of the point when it comes to Grandaddy, so top marks for a fitting last album. They'll be sorely missed.
The signs didn't look good for this final album, what with the band on the verge of splitting up and last year's mini-album Excerpts From the Diary of Todd Zilla being a lacklustre effort saved by two or three tunes. Add to this the fact that the band's last full length album Sumday was easily their worst, too bloated and plodding after the frankly thrilling first two efforts, and it looked as if this once great band were going to destroy the good reputation they had deservedly built for themselves.
Thankfully Fambly Cat proves to be a fitting epitaph for the band, an adrenaline rush that makes you lament the fact that the band are already doomed. The album does what the earlier Grandaddy releases done with ease, a combination of cracking little rocky pop numbers with some sad, beautiful songs that really complimented Jason Lyttle's voice, all the time retaining a sense of humour and playfulness, something that Sumday sadly missed.
Of the rock numbers Disconnecty and Geez Louise are great pop and Rear View Mirror demonstrates more verve than at any other point in the band's career and is a candidate for their best song. Where I'm Anymore and This is How it Always Starts are heart breaking. The album does make a couple of mis-steps, the opener and 50% being particularly poor, and the curse of Sumday rears its ugly head again in the shape that the album is a little too bloated. It could have done with a little trimming but its easy to see why the band would want to include as much as possible.
So it isn't perfect, but then that's kind of the point when it comes to Grandaddy, so top marks for a fitting last album. They'll be sorely missed.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
the last and another great work from Grandaddy
Once again, Jason Lytle makes a great compilation of songs, the emotion, the humor and the beauty stay in the inside of everysong of this great album from Grandaddy. Read more
Published on 6 Jun 2009 by Miguel A. Quintana Parron
Pure Americana...
One facet of Grandaddy's music is consistently overlooked by critics and reviewers: that this is profoundly *American* music; it is the truest expression and "sound" of a warm... Read more
Published on 19 Feb 2007 by R. Wheeler
Glass half full
I just love Grandaddy's sweeping, circling anthems. I'd happily let the best loop away for hours on end. Eight on Sophtware made it onto my iPod, and five from this collection. Read more
Published on 23 Oct 2006 by A. Smith
Dave B
I have to admit to being a little disappointed with this album!
Grandaddy have been one of my long time favourite bands. Read more
Grandaddy have been one of my long time favourite bands. Read more
Published on 29 Aug 2006 by C. A. Bartram
goodbye and thanks
Grandaddy were not a flaming lips cover band. They were part of a musical trend that involved the lips & mercury rev. And they were just as good. Read more
Published on 28 July 2006 by superfurry badger
Viva Las Flaming Lips
Now that Grandaddy is closing up shop, let's put them for once and for all in a box. A box that has two words written on it: "Flaming" and "Lips". Read more
Published on 2 Jun 2006 by Sip
Bye Bye Daddies, Bye Bye ...
So it goes, but where its going, no one knows. Thanks for the music, Grandaddy, you live in our hearts. Read more
Published on 26 May 2006 by Coyote Skateboard Survivor - now favouring Sector 9 Bamboo Zen, n'est-ce pas?
The Daddy !
Grandaddy exit on a high with this excellent album. Its not as good as the end of millenium high of the software slump but its close. Read more
Published on 25 May 2006 by Pd Baker
A sad day for music
So here it is then. Grandaddys swansong. Without a doubt this is one group that deserved more acclaim for there work than they ever recieved. Read more
Published on 24 May 2006 by Gigs
Going out on a high
I love these guys. I love their sense of fun. I love the lavish production and the "full" sound. I love the quirky bits - the unusual sounds which add a richness to the end... Read more
Published on 23 May 2006 by Mr. TG Crawshaw
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