Grates, The - Teeth Lost, Hearts Won (Album)

Teeth Lost, Hearts Won! That is certainly the right way around. Losing heart is never fun, and extra teeth end up getting removed anyway.

With that precursor, coupled with the now established good name The Grates, you would expect a knock your socks of album. Thankfully they have delivered. Though I recommend this album needs good speakers and appropriate setting. When you have seen a band live, I always have an expectation that they will try and capture some of vibe. Teeth Lost, Hearts Won opens with Burn Bridges, and if you close your eyes and find some sweaty dancing air to breath in then you could convince yourself that Patience, John and Alana are performing the funky number right in front of you.

The rest of the album, doesn’t quite capture the total radiance of a live show, but paints an adequate picture of a talented and deliciously unique trio. Back to Burn Bridges, because it’s a great song as well as the first single of the album. Beginning with an eccentric riff that features throughout the song, you‘ll be hooked from the beginning and courted into commitment through repeatedly declaring “Spent time making trouble, doing the right thing, Spent time making trouble, what’s the sum of everything…”

Two Kinds of Right, begins slightly gentle, with a hint of a love song. As if she can’t help herself Alana builds in a crescendo on drums towards the chorus. She gives a bit of a fiery spike to the edgy lines “Some things are better when broken, did I tell you, that you are my best friend, I wana show you what you’ve already been shown”

Sometimes you hear a song and whether you can relate or not, you still wonder about the story behind it, Milk Eyes has all the words and taste of a lullaby, to suggest it was written about an unexpected pregnancy. Whether it is or not, Milk Eyes is a wonderful tribute to the women who have become mothers through unexpected pregnancy and can melodically sing along with Patience to “You come running to me, for some strange reason makes me feel so complete. Bleeding from your knees, I couldn’t care more”

And a tight little anthem for those people who are ready scream a big “Fuck your today” insisting that now isn’t the right time to see what else is out there? Not Today. Get it, spin it, belt it out, I insist! It is going to rock the tiny speakers of your dashboard.

I acknowledge that this is album review, however, The Grates are touring with this album at the moment, and I recommend the duo of the CD and their live show, will give you the ultimate experience.

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