Snobbin: Beautiful Trash in the Pop Culture Gutter

While I often thought GLB's final record didn't reach the heights of their earlier albums, I now realize that the polished songwriting, production, and lyrical honesty emphasize a maturity and growth. My downer '90s self also did not relate to the jubilant sound and lyrics. However, I still wish Paul Kimble was on bass.

Grant Lee Phillips' Walking in the Green Corn is a contemplative affair, much like 2009's understated Little Moon . Unassuming yet self-aware, Phillips' songs pack a quiet power.  Always a first-rate vocalist and lyricist, he digs deeper here paying homage to his Native American heritage in ways he hasn't since Virginia Creeper. Phillips blends his subtle lyrics with quiet guitars and tons of intimacy. He expertly sets the stage for his story songs, taking his time in order to get the details just right. On "Vanishing Song" his lyrics are sparse, yet they tell an expansive tale of times long gone. "Great Horned Owl" is more upbeat, recalling Grant Lee Buffalo more than Phillips' solo work but still creating a vibe of late nights and long ago moments. Walking in the Green Corn perfectly captures the intimacy one feels with old friends as new discoveries become more important because they are made together. Phillips' narrative world is f...