Grackle is a Louisville ensemble consisting of lyricist Steve Katsikas (Keys/Vocals), Jeff Gard (Drums/Percussion), Mike Lankford (Bass), Myra Kean (Violin, Sax, Flute), Travis Carlisle (Cello), Jennifer Lauletta (Vocals), and Josh Parker (Guitar). 

In November 2024, they released their third album, "All That Matters". 

Regular readers of my reviews and listeners to the radio show know that I am instinctively sceptical of labels, sub-genres, and the like, and the band themselves, in a world where music is endlessly categorised, and compared to current and past music, describe themselves as an enigma. You can find out for yourselves by visiting their Bandcamp page at https://grackleband.bandcamp.com/album/all-that-matters-high-resolution-24-bit

We have twelve tracks to dissect here, so without any further ado, the opener is My Disaster. Immediately, the senses are filled with the electric string instruments before piano is accompanied by the loveliest bass melody produced by Lankford. I have embedded this delight below, a track imbued with the feel of the near east, Katsikas providing for a vocal dripping with anxiety, and featuring lovely harmonies with Lauletta, a haunting song dealing, I believe, with loss. Really quite lovely as an opening piece, it pulls you into the album.

Oh Lianna follows, and I will be playing this track on my Progzilla Radio show on 1st February (it starts at 16:00 UK GMT – be there, or be square). By now, you are becoming used to, and welcome wholeheartedly, the contributions of the violin & cello, bringing a fine Baroque sensibility to modern rock music. Some more sumptuous harmonies in a very playful track at times paying a loving homage to the eponymous heroine. There is an incredibly cool 5-string electric mandolin played by cellist, Travis Carlisle. In a more adventurous mainstream media, this delight would be played regularly on the mass market stations, but, regrettably, they are not prepared to do so any longer. A shame.

Disappear is up next, and immediately, the piano which opens heralds a more mournful piece of music, the subject I believe the disillusionment of much of what we see in modern life, be this politics, conflict, and the sense of being blown away by events, unable to shape them before he is able to soar away in the sky, a radiance of light far away from the place of pain. At times, Katsikas opens up vocally, bringing across a sense of anger, the violin a constant musical template, underpinned by a jazz infused rhythm section, understated, but vital as a foundation.

Odesa follows. This is, of course, the highly disputed city in Southern Ukraine, historically a vital freight hub. This is a short track, sub-four minutes, and I have embedded it below for you, a powerful lyrical and musical commentary on the present conflict brought about by Putin’s actions, something which has clear personal connections to the writer. There is an urgency in the music, driven again by those strings and a pulsing rhythm. Very impressive. We must never forget the horrors of war wrought by politicians and powerful interests, and this song is a worthy addition to the canon of intelligent music bringing it to our attention.

I Can Make This Right opens with some more very emotive piano playing, and the emotion Katsikas brings to his keys matches that of his voice. This is a very nice ballad addressing a personal relationship issue, the type of which are thankfully extremely rare in my life, there is some nice expansiveness to the music as he runs away from the dark to the light, with some particularly gorgeous interplay between violin & cello, Kean & Carlisle simply masters of their musical trade, Lauletta providing for a pitch perfect top note voice. This is such a beautiful song, and it is an early contender for “track of the year” on this website’s annual awards.

Sanctify, the act of consecrating and making holy a particular site, such places are everywhere in Southern Europe and the Byzantine near east. Parker provides some dextrous guitar work here, the rhythm section is wonderful, and the lyrics are interesting talking to me of some personal redemption or experience, and wishing to sanctify who or where the experience took place. There is a lot of hope in the music, especially in the sanctify chorus.

Heaven on Their Minds is a heavier jazz rock piece, a cover from Jesus Christ Superstar, distorted guitar and rhythm section pushing the chords with urgency, and the vocals are as near as this album comes to the sort of territory inhabited by the harder rock bands I feature here, the track dealing, I believe, with the tensions and contradictions inherent in belief and faith, and in parts there are some taunting notes reminiscent of some of the classic films of the 20’s and 30’s before the heavier elements come to the fore with a disturbing soprano sax solo (played through a guitar amp), whirling and defiant against the sour outcome.

Very Cold For June follows. The dark orchestral noises which open are a stark contrast to the track which preceded it. I love the drums and percussive work on this, betraying yet more of a deep jazz sensibility – Bruford would admire the performance of Gard here, I know. The whole song is a plaintive delight, enhanced by the strings crying alongside a stunning vocal, and I have embedded it below for you to enjoy.

The Pen and the Sword returns us to a heavier vibe, vocal harmonies and the ensemble pushing along at a rate of knots describing the factional nature of politics and war before suddenly, the mood changes to that of a plaintive cry for peace and understanding, the strings beseeching alongside the vocals, the drums providing for a call to arms. The song is one of contrasts, enigmatic for sure, and at times reminds me of the type of music Genesis made in the early 70’s, playful musically, but deadly serious in its meaning. Old progheads would certainly like this one.

Choices is up next. It opens with a delightful interplay between violin and bass guitar. Throughout, the bass guitar is a masterful example of how to play that instrument as a driving force alongside a violin played as dual lead instruments in a very strong modern pastoral jazz rock song. Then, really taking one by surprise, Katsikas provides us with a sax burst, and excellent it is too, heralding a furious increase in pace, not angry at all, but joyful. Another song which is simply fascinating and gives up its delights more with each listen.

The penultimate track is Spinning My Wheels, a cover of a song by Dada, and it is a strange one, dealing with adolescent angst, the type every single parent of a spotty yoof will recognise instantly. Having listened to it a few times, it strikes me as being a sort of commentary on the state of modern teenagers, not angry, but more of an observation on what was and is. The electric mandolin solo at the denouement is strong.

We close with Clover, bright and breezy, heralding springtime in life as much as nature, looking for luck the four-leaved plant can bring, the keys taking us back at least a couple of centuries, a lovely flute solo by Kean, and some nice harmonies again. This is a very nice close to the album, mixing the classical with the pastoral and the sort of country folk rock we adored back in the day.

So, what to make of this? Well, the band’s self-description is absolutely on the money. Enigmatic is a very good word to describe what you will hear on All That Matters, but to that I would add vital, in that it is a fine example of how a group of musicians can create such a dense and strong sounding mix of styles into a coherent whole. I really like this album, and I think that regular readers of mine who, I know, appreciate the eclectic nature of the music I review, will too. Well worth your time to explore further.