Grails / Chalice Hymnal
Artist Grails
Album Title: Chalice Hymnal
Album Cover:
Primary Genre Rock
Format Vinyl (2)
Released 02/17/2017
Label Temporary Residence Limited
Catalog No TRR 279
Bar Code No 6 56605 32791 4
Packaging Gatefold LP Sleeve
Tracks
Chalice Hymnal (Disc 1)
A1. Chalice Hymnal (4:22)
A2. Pelham (2:49)
A3. Empty Chamber (2:33)
A4. New Prague (4:50)
B1. Deeper Politics (3:49)
B2. Tough Guy (3:57)
B3. Rebecca (3:47)
Chalice Hymnal (Disc 2)
A1. Deep Snow II (5:48)
A2. The Moth & the Flame (4:07)
A3. Thorns II (3:59)
B1. After the Funeral (10:19)
Date Acquired 05/03/2021
Personal Rating
Acquired from Temporary Residence Limited Website
Purchase Price 18.00

Web Links

All Music Guide Entry:
Discogs Entry:
Wikipedia Entry:

Notes

Notes:
Includes MP3 download card.

Credits:
Design, Layout – Alex Hall
Double Bass – Ross Gallagher (tracks: B3, D1)
Drums, Guitar, Bass, Keyboards, MIDI Controller [MPC], Lap Steel Guitar – Emil Amos
Engineer – Al Carlson (tracks: A4, B1, C1, C3, D1)
Guitar, Mellotron, Keyboards, Sampler – Alex John Hall
Harmonica – Dylan Rice-Leary (tracks: B1)
Mastered By, Lacquer Cut By – Josh Bonati
Mixed By – Alex Hall, Emil Amos
Recorded By [Drums] – Brandon Eggleston (tracks: A2)
Recorded By [Guitars] – Jeff Stuart Saltzman (tracks: A4)
Saxophone – Daniel Fisher-Lochhead (tracks: D1)
Strings, Arranged By – Timba Harris (tracks: B1, D1)
Synth – Ash Black Bufflo (tracks: A2)
Synth, Drums [C2], Guitar, Oud – Wm Zak Riles
Tenor Saxophone – Niklas Kraft (tracks: A1, B3, C2)

Companies, etc.:
Mastered At – Bonati Mastering
Lacquer Cut At – Bonati Mastering
Mastered At – Record Technology Incorporated – 26909

Barcode and Other Identifiers:
Barcode (Printed (sticker on shrink wrap)): 6 56605 32791 4
Barcode (Scanned (sticker on shrink wrap)): 656605327914
Matrix / Runout (Side A): TRR279 A 26909.1(2)... BONATI MASTERING NYC
Matrix / Runout (Side B): TRR279 B 26909.2(2)... BONATI MASTERING NYC
Matrix / Runout (Side C): TRR279 C 26909.3(2)... BONATI MASTERING NYC
Matrix / Runout (Side D): TRR279 D 26909.4(2)... BONATI MASTERING NYC

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Analyzed Folder: Grails - Chalice Hymnal_dr.txt
----------------------------------------------------------------
DR        Peak          RMS      Filename            
----------------------------------------------------------------
DR05   -0.30 dB   -07.91 dB  01 - Chalice Hymnal.flac      
DR06   -0.30 dB   -08.24 dB  02 - Pelham.flac        
DR09   -0.30 dB   -12.08 dB  03 - Empty Chamber.flac      
DR07   -0.30 dB   -09.94 dB  04 - New Prague.flac    
DR08   -0.30 dB   -12.30 dB  05 - Deeper Politics.flac    
DR07   -0.30 dB   -10.59 dB  06 - Tough Guy.flac      
DR08   -0.30 dB   -11.05 dB  07 - Rebecca.flac        
DR07   -0.30 dB   -10.42 dB  08 - Deep Snow II.flac  
DR08   -0.30 dB   -10.88 dB  09 - The Moth & The Flame.flac
DR08   -0.30 dB   -10.91 dB  10 - Thorns II.flac      
DR11   -0.30 dB   -14.73 dB  11 - After The Funeral.flac  
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Number of Files: 11
Official DR Value: DR8
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Reviews
All Music Guide Review by Paul Simpson:

Chalice Hymnal is the first proper full-length from Grails since 2011's remarkable Deep Politics, although a second collection of their exploratory Black Tar Prophecies EP series arrived in between. As with every Grails album, the group continues to push its sound further, incorporating new influences, instruments, and production techniques. As clichéd as the genre name "post-rock" has become, the musical progression of the Grails catalog embodies the term perfectly, as the band has continually moved far beyond convention into something truly unique and indefinable. Chalice Hymnal easily seems like their least "rock" album yet; while they haven't entirely abandoned blazing psych-rock guitars (just check the sludgy yet funky "New Prague"), they're certainly less present here, and many of the guitars that appear are acoustic. There's a much greater presence of electronics and dark, nearly trip-hop grooves on this album, especially on "Tough Guy." It almost seems like Chalice Hymnal could be billed as a joint release between Grails and Lilacs & Champagne, the sample-heavy instrumental hip-hop side project formed by Grails members Alex John Hall and Emil Amos. One of L&C's other members, Ash Black Bufflo, contributes percolating synthesizers to the album's second track, "Pelham," suggesting Giorgio Moroder as a possible influence along with soundtrack composers such as Ennio Morricone and Hugo Montenegro. The acoustic instrumentation throughout the album is lush and engrossing, with several tracks augmented by majestic string arrangements courtesy of Timba Harris, and dusky saxophone from Niklas Kraft or Daniel Fisher-Lochhead. Some of the album's pieces are sequels to selections from Grails' previous album. "Deeper Politics" is, appropriately enough, more tense than the prior release's title track, and while it seems gray and rainy at first, its resplendent strings ultimately signal hope for a glorious rebirth. "Deep Snow II," however, bends Deep Politics' knotty yet dreamy finale into something significantly more distraught. In the midst of all of this, the group finds time for a slow jam, "Rebecca," which buries "In the Air Tonight"-esque drum machine pulsations with sunset-like guitar wisps and serene synth pads. "The Moth & the Flame" is even more ethereal, with forests of echo surrounding smooth fretless bass and saxophone, before David Axelrod-worthy cavernous drums boom in during the track's second half. All of this culminates in the ten-minute "After the Funeral," which features perhaps the most grandiose arrangement of Grails' entire career. Not only is Chalice Hymnal well worth the wait, it makes it even harder to choose which album is the pinnacle of Grails' ever-fascinating discography.
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