Album Notes

THE CD: Nasti Spumante
PERFORMER: Gran Pappy's Lap
WEBSITE: http://www.gplap.com/
GPL is: Travis Ranson/Johnny Compton, guitars&vox; Brandon Hodges, bass; Ryan DeViese, drums


Key marks on the side of my car/let's me know she knows I'm at the bar.
-- Travis Ranson on "I Don't Mind"
Outside of being in a cool rock & roll band, it sure would suck to be Travis Ranson, singer of Charleston's own Gran Pappy's Lap. Over the course of their new 10-song CD, "Nasti Spumante," Ranson has his woman burn his clothes on the lawn and throw his guitar down the stairs. Then, he gets in trouble w. the law like only your favorite entertainers can do, and then, punched in the face by his woman for good measure.

From the packaging of the CD to the actual music, "Spumante" is a more-than solid follow-up to 2004's "Lap Dance" and here's why: the guitars (and everything else) are louder; the singing is stronger; the songs all fit together and flow from one to the next without seeming like a concept album; and, samples are on tap (police sirens on "Johnny Law Dog"), as is the keg, I assume.

From the straight-up rock on "Let Me In," the hardcore riffage of "Anger Rise," the punk-tinged "Wish" (w.lyrics by Lee Harrah of Stone Ka-Tet) to the power ballad that is "I Don't Mind," GPL proves they're legit. It's a scientific fact -- look it up, broheim.

Ranson and Johnny Compton share the singing duties on "Spumante." Nice thing about it is, they're both good, so it's not like listening to 311 or some band that sounds bi-polar (you know, as many ill-fated rap-rock outfits do, or should I say -- did.)

Review written by Nick Harrah for the charleston Gazzette