Since Grazed

In the grand tradition of Neil Young, Eleventh Dream Day are a band who revel in the joy of turning up their amps and letting Rick Rizzos guitar summon a gale of eloquent noise. (Rizzo has never shied away from acknowledging Young as an influence.) And also like Young, they know the value of taking a more subtle approach sometimes. On 2021s Since Grazed, theyve made an album that feels like their variation on Harvest or After the Gold Rush. Its not devoid of electric guitar workouts, yet a noticeably more contemplative and atmospheric tone pervades the material, and the lyrics are deeply introspective; this is music that seemingly came from people who spent a lot of time alone with their thoughts, and since this was created at EDDs usually leisurely pace (arriving six years after 2015s more raucous Works for Tomorrow) and it was written and recorded in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic (which is referenced in "Tyrian Purple"), thats probably not far off from the truth. That said, if the feel of this music is often dark, its not doomstruck, and there is a quiet but fierce rage to live in these songs -- EDDs world may be in chaos, but they havent surrendered, and for all the space in this album, its more than full enough to be satisfying. Janet Beveridge Beans drumming and Douglas McCombs bass give the performances a solid foundation, Rizzos guitar is superb whether its chiming or roaring, and the grain of his voice -- weary, cautious, but revealing a sense of purpose and a clear eye – has rarely been better served than on these recordings. Bean, who sings lead "Matter" and "Wish Too Far," is also in excellent form here, and her backing vocals wind themselves around Rizzos leads beautifully. Mark Greenberg, who produced and engineered the album as well as lending his instrumental skills, more than earned his paycheck for this project. Fans who were hoping for another dose of strong rock & roll like Works for Tomorrow may have to adjust their expectations, but Since Grazed is a great and rewarding effort from a band that will seemingly always deserve more attention than they get, but never let down the loyal followers who are paying attention. ~ Mark Deming