Album Review by Mark Bayross
Formed in early 2003 by ex-Far singer Jonah Matranga and former Crumb guitarist Mark Wienberg, Gratitude has the makings of an emo fan’s wet dream (and one such fan, Matt Davies of Funeral For A Friend has invited them to support his band on their current UK tour).
I’m happy to say that Gratitude more than lives up to the respective legacies of its creative duo: these songs soar on the back of huge riffs and big, big choruses. The production – courtesy of Jim Scott (Red Hot Chili Peppers, Tom Petty, Wilco) – is tight and punchy and there’s a grandiose sheen to the sound throughout.
Recent single DRIVE AWAY opens proceedings in fairly straightforward fashion, but by the time you hit the hook-laden THE GREATEST WONDER you get the feeling Gratitude are heading for the hills with an album of stadium-fillers under their collective belt. By the time you get to the epic, string-enhanced ANOTHER DIVISION ST. there’s little doubt that Matranga is serious when he says “this is a band for everyone” – these songs belong on a big stage.
So, if you like your rock massive-sounding, this comes highly recommended. It may be a bit too polished and perfect for some, but there can be little denying the power and beauty of these songs.
