Grand Prix Terraplane Twilight Out Today

Hi there,

Today is the day where Grand Prix release their top notch third album Terraplane Twilight...let us tell you a little more about the album...

On a dark and stormy night, when Grand Prix were tracking Terraplane Twilight, something strange happened. At the Car Club, which is an isolated hall in Newtown’s hills, they set up their equipment and engineer Brett Stanton plugged in the portable recording studio as usual. Among the model cars and rally prize ribbons (the Car Club is a combined classic car enthusiasts club and also rehearsal space) the band started playing and working on a new song. All of a sudden, the storm outside struck and the lights began to flash on and off, the studio equipment jammed up and a thundery atmosphere filled the cavernous old hall. Then it occurred to the band: was this because the song they were working on was called “The Devil”?

Some bands might have gotten the message and called it a day, but Grand Prix continued undaunted – and Terraplane Twilight is their third album. Recording the album (appropriately) at the Car Club has kept the automotive theme alive, but it has now become a subtler metaphor. As Andrew McKenzie enigmatically explains, although the words may suggest otherwise “none of the songs are really actually about cars”

Another important change for the band is a significant line-up reshuffle. McKenzie (vocals, guitar) and Davey Geard (drums, vocals) remain – but they are now joined on the bass by Nato ‘the Force’ Hickey (Paseload, Fly My Pretties) and on keyboards by Adam Ladley (Velvetones, The Bonnie Scarlets). These changes (and the brush with ‘The Devil’) have bought a more confident 1960s and 1970s musicality to their sound. It also brings a little more drive at the low ‘ass moving’ end, a touch more burning organ in the middle and a smidgen more widescreen trem-reverberation up at the top. Of course McKenzie’s thunderous voice remains, which has been described as “a cross between Nick Cave and Kiwi country icon, John Hore Grenell”

Behind the controls from the Car Club tracking to the finishing mixing touches at Lee Prebble’s (soon to be legendary) “The Surgery” studio, was Brett Stanton - who works with the Phoenix Foundation. He is most certainly one of Wellington’s finest soundmen. In the studio, more time was put into this album than the previous, allowing the band to experiment and be more specific in how they wanted things to sound. It also meant they were able to bring in guests including the “Grand Prix Boys Choir” of Age Prior, Luke Buda and Craig Terris, as well as other guests on instruments such as glockenspiel, violin and trumpet.

Terraplane Twilight is a big step forward for Grand Prix. The sound is more developed and the songwriting remains excellent. While tracks from the last album were extremely popular on b-net radio, Kiwi FM and National Radio, and received excellent reviews (see below), this album has even more songs that will appeal. Grand Prix’s live show is now full steam ahead, with recent support slots with the Lemonheads, the Phoenix Foundation as well as having their own solid following the capital city.

Album release shows:
Saturday July 7th at Mighty Mighty – Wellington
Thursday August 9th at the Dogs Bollix - Auckland

For more information contact Rosie Riggir at Arch Hill Recordings, rosie@archhill.co.nz or 09-6387999. Terraplane Twilight is distributed by Rhythm Method in New Zealand

Thanks
Arch Hill

If you don’t want to get the occasional Arch Hill email then please let us know and we will take you off the list

Reviews of Grand Prix’s second album "The Way of the Racer"

NZ HERALD – Scott Kara (4/5 Stars)
A love of country music, racing cars and the trumpet makes for an unlikely, yet riveting, combination…GP started out as a country band and take a far more stern and steely approach, something that has a lot to do with Andrew McKenzie’s voice, which is a cross between Nick Cave and Kiwi country icon, John Hore Grenell. And Viv Treweek’s trumpet, with its dramatic flutters and souring serenades, makes Grand Prix’s sound unusually original.

REAL GROOVE - Phil Reed (4/5 Stars)
I never thought I'd say these words about a 'country' album, but this is a great album. …A kick-ass live band with their high-decibel mariachi-influenced rockabilly. What really sets this album apart is that it's laden with character - the sneering, snarling vocals of singer songwriter Andrew McKenzie ride a steed of menacing riffs powered by a hungry rhythm section… Above all else, though, is that this album is damn good fun to listen to, a rarity in the serious rock'n'roll world these days.

DOMINION POST - Lindsay Davis (4/5 Stars)
Wellington act Grand Prix follow up their debut [racing lines] with an expanded line up, a slicker sound and, most importantly, plenty of racing car inspired tracks about hi-revving drama…From the rocking mariachi of the opener 'The Way of the Racer' to the Nashville flavors on 'Eternity Behind the Wheel' and the campfire reflection of 'What Kind of Man is He', which recalls the Long Ryders, to the rocking salsa of 'Vigilante', this will keep racing fans happy and ensure the local alt country scene a roaring future.

NZ MUSICIAN – Kent Walsdorf
Grand Prix have evolved into a grounded and intelligent music entity with this release….An applaudable feat from a songwriting perspective. With musical interest and lyrical allure it’s well worth getting.

AIR NEW ZEALAND MAGAZINE
…can best be described as if it were created the day Marty Robbins met Nick Cave, south of the border. Inspired.

ENDS

© Scoop Media