Grandpa Egg’s sophomore album, Praying Mantis, is the psych-folk follow-up to their 2011 feline-themed debut, Songs for My Cat. It’s a concept album about Pellapetisamo the Praying Mantis, Christopher Cricket, a young girl named Sally and a cast of other creatures living in a meadow together. The Pittsburgh-based quartet (formerly from Nashville) begins the rustic opener “Meadow Song” with a short intro admitting that “the following story isn’t exactly coherent,” and ends the narration with a rather reluctant “good luck.”
The charming, whimsical voice behind Grandpa Egg is that of Jeb Morris, joined by brother Bart, who plays resonator guitar and bass and also produced the album. Along with musicians Inga Kristaponyte (bass, keyboard) and Jordin Goff (percussion), the brothers Morris have drawn comparisons to the styles of Donovan and Syd Barrett. However, it’s also worth mentioning the similarities, both lyrically and musically, to indie/pop duo Belle and Sebastian (check out “Dandelion” and the closing track “Pellapetisamo”).
The album is fairly stripped-down, although most songs feature a wide assortment of childlike instruments. They incorporate the use of bells, an organ, a xylophone and more to create breezy, lighthearted melodies to mask the album’s otherwise dark undertones. On “Sally’s House,” Morris sings softly over an acoustic guitar:
Sally can’t stop crying,
Waiting on her man,
Lately, he ain’t never home on time,
She’ll pass out in the kitchen
When she’s had all she can stand
Of second-rate promises and cheap wine
Praying Mantis is an album full of insightful and introspective lyrics; however, dismal lyrics like the ones above have a way of getting lost within the shroud of delightfully catchy instrumentation. This is especially true in songs “Sally’s House” and “Daisy.”
Although the album’s narrative storyline can be loose at times, it’s meant to be listened to from start to finish, and it wouldn’t make much sense to skip around. The 13-track compilation is full of fun and folky vibes, but Morris has constructed a deeper meaning that isn’t as pleasant: things aren’t always as they appear to be. It may take a few listens to firmly grasp this message, but even so, it’s certainly worth the replay.
Visit grandpaegg.bandcamp.com to hear more of the band’s music.
