The Grates - Teeth Lost, Hearts Won.

A couple of weeks ago now, I bought the newest album from The Grates.

Entitled Teeth Lost, Hearts Won, it's 13 more excellent songs from the Brisbane band.

They may not fit the adjective "see Birds of Tokyo review" but to compare them to the aforementioned band, or even someone say Bjork is wrong.

I suppose the flagship song is "Burn Bridges", that was the one that made the single, but it wasn't really the song that makes me love the album. It is a good song, I'll give them that, but it isn't my favourite or even in the top five.

You will find yourself most likely bobbing your head or clapping along when they are singing "Spent time making trouble, doing the right thing/ Spent time making trouble, what's the sum of everything..."

And do you know how I know. You're going to listen to the song. Because it's the single song, there is a film clip, and it's on youtube, and I can embed videos.



You will have to listen to the song before you leave this post.

The song that convinced me to buy the album probably was "Carve Your Name". It's similar to the last song, yet different. I'm sorry but I can't actually describe how the song is different. It's one of those songs that you'll dance to.

The next song "The Fun In Every Start". Is under a minute, but it's one of my favourites. This is in my top 5 for this album. It's a soft, sweet interlude between "Carve Your Name" and "Two Kinds of Right".

I think it's an excellent placement on the album. It breaks the mood well, consisting of just vocals and a piano and almost segues into the next song "Two Kinds Of Right" (which coincidentally is mentioned in the previous song).

"Two Kinds Of Right" is another song that is similar yet different to the first two songs. It's a song that you'll dance to. Not really a song that you can mellow out to. If you ever play this song on Audiosurf you will find plenty of high scoring spots.

"Aw Yeah", is sung in a similar manner to "Science is Golden" was in their previous album Gravity Won't Get You High. It's fast, it's loud, it's The Grates.

"Milk Eyes" is better described by Jmag. It's number 6 in my top 5 songs for this album.

My number 1 or 2 song is next. Another short song, "The Sum Of Every Part" is another mellow song. There is a video on Youtube from the band, I just don't think it does the song justice though. I guess that's what happens when it's played on a DS:



Where it sounds like there are supposed to be words, the lyrics are:

The winds of change rearrange our vision, tried to walk but I got no rhythm.
Temperatures change and spaces relax. Newspaper print left crime on my thumb,
You said it twice but I heard you just once. All of these thoughts like fingers and toes.
The sum of every part, the fear in every heart.

A 30 second clip from LastFM can be found here.

Next up "Storms and Fevers" (near my top 5 but not one) has a good beat to it. It opens nicely, and if you play it on Audiosurf you might find yourself trying to clear out the remaining blocks (for the 25% bonus) halfway through the song...

"Earthquake". Another fast song. Another loud song. It's an excellent song though.

Next though is the song that makes it hard to say what my number 1 song for this album is. "Not Today" isn't fast, it's far more mellow, but not in the same way "The Sum Of Every Part" is. With an opening of "If it's half as good in out there, as it is in here/I might have to change, everything I am" to the emphatically sung "But not today, no not today/Fuck your today, not going away".

"When You're Scared Of Dogs". It sounds very pop-y in a way. It has very distinct sections, and there are also the barks of dogs in the background.

"Let it Die" is another fast song. Not loud, but it's fast paced. It's one of the many songs with different instruments. This one sounds like it has a recorder in it.

The closing song is "The Biggest And Longest Adventure Ever". As the song says "Time's up, we better run away, before the night closes in, like it does every other day".

It ends with those lines being spoken by the band members. This is in my top 5 songs for this album.

Honestly though, my words can't do this album justice. If you ever get a chance go down to your music shop and get a copy of it. If you are in Not-Australia, then get it ordered in. You won't regret it.

The artist is The Grates. The album Teeth Lost, Hearts Won.