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by Tony Pascarella Published: August 25, 2004
Album Credits: Charlotte Hatherley (Vocals, Guitar) Rob Ellis (Drums) Eric Drew Feldman (Producer) When I first heard about the rumblings of a Charlotte Hatherley solo project, I think my heart skipped a beat or two. Citing influences from David Bowie (one of her favorite artists), the Pixies, and Talking Heads, Hatherley produced a quaint little indie rock record on the Double Dragon label, the one that used to have Ash under contract. Quaint little indie rock record; isn't that redundant? It probably is, but this is an accurate depiction of Grey Will Fade. Worth mentioning is Hatherley's lack of writing credits on Ash's albums (because Tim Wheeler handles most of that for the band), but she has written some excellent songs here. Kim Wilde is a sugary pop song that instantly makes you think of bunnies and springtime and happy things like that. Charlotte's vocal ability is very good here. I was very surprised with it; she has a smooth sound, although she does sound like she is about sixteen years old. She showcases a very poppy attitude and some Ash-esque oooh-mmm-bop-bop-bop's. On the song, which has a chugging rhythm and some nice drum work, Charlotte has a couple of pretty good guitar riffs. Although the background choral noise detracts a bit too much from her voice, this song is excellent lyrically. The next track is a downbeat one, Rescue Plan. It has some misguided lyrics ("If I could find my way, I would never go back to you"). Charlotte doesn't do much vocally to impress, although she has a nice poppy guitar solo toward the end of the song, which is followed by some vocalizing. I'm not a big fan of this song because it's just not very spectacular, but I can see how it will appeal to others. Paragon is a much more fun piece of pop music. Charlotte vocalizes a bit, but her lyrics are genuine and fun, as well as intelligently written. Anyone in the music scene today who can use the word paragon in a sentence is okay in my book. This song has a catchy foot-tapping beat along with a sweet, summer-song chorus. Hatherley manages to come up with some nice guitar riffs here and there, but nothing overly fantastic instrumentally. Summer has a piano backing Hatherley's vocals and the drums. It's an upbeat, almost enigmatic track. The album takes another twist as Hatherley's intelligent vocals flow freely. Clapping in the background seems to take away from the glossiness that Summer displays, including a great guitar interlude (it's not really a solo, per se) that makes me remember why I bought this album. Down is a correct title for the next track. An almost imperceptible rhythm is the only thing that keeps this song afloat, unfortunately. Charlotte sings very softly, and it's a rather boring song. Her vocals are questioning and melodic, but it seems a bit too dull overall. There is nothing to set this track apart from any others. Stop is a nice pick-me-up from the snore fest that is Down. Hatherley has a nice rock feel to her vocals here, and the guitars are very aggressive sounding. It sounds like she has your basic studio drummer though. It's a good song overall; it gives me vibes back to one of Ash's songs Shark, from Free All Angels. Where I'm Calling From has a lush sound with orchestral qualities. I think this would be a great song to hear live, because it showcases Hatherley's voice much more so than the other songs. There are some soft ethereal sounds that manage to keep the song from sounding too formulaic. The vocals are exceptional; the only problem some fans may have with the song is the lack of sing-along material. That's no problem, though. It's still a very relaxing but hardly boring song. Why You Wanna? is another song like its predecessor, except it includes Hatherley's great guitar skills along with her voice. It's a slow-moving pop song that has a nice melody and a little more aggressive vocals than seen previously. It's nice to hear something different over an album, rather than variations on the same thing over and over again. If there's one song I absolutely love on Grey Will Fade, it's Bastardo. Starting with a rocking rhythm, which gives off an air of being just a fun song, Charlotte Hatherley doesn't disappoint with this gem. The premise of the song is that Charlotte met up with a Mexican guy named Antonio who she had a one-night stand with. Instead of pining for him, she notices her guitar missing. I love how instead of using the typical clichés, such as calling him a cheater, Charlotte manages to mix it up, instead calling him a lothario. The song appeals because of the down-to-earth yet subtly amusing lyrics, which are sung excellently, as well as Bastardo having an overly infectious chorus. Charlotte closes the album with the title track, Grey Will Fade. Starting with a methodical, but not boring guitar intro, Charlotte's lyrics are poignant and hopeful. She closes the album on a downswing, but it leaves room for her to pick up where she left off here on her next release. This album has its ups and downs, but most of the tracks are very down-to-earth and fun. While there are things that can be improved with Grey Will Fade, it's a great start to her solo career. I've been a fan of Ash since I discovered the band about a year ago. Charlotte Hatherley has always intrigued me as a musical artist, so I felt obliged to check out Grey Will Fade. I can't say I was 100% blown away by it. However, Charlotte has released a very nice indie rock that has elements of pop infused. I'll recommend this to people who are interested in hearing new artists, as well as those who are Ash fans. It will take you a few tries before you begin to see the true colors behind Grey Will Fade, but there is a light at the end of the rainbow. Stomach's ablaze with hellfire/but don't you know that these things always end the same... Overall Grade: A- |
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