Grant Hart – Intolerance LP

Description

Grant Hart’s first full-length solo album after the breakup ofHsker D, 1989’s Intolerance is an eclectic, sometimes disorienting mishmash of styles that surprisingly works more often than not. From the psychedelic tape frenzy and carnival organ of the opening “All of My Senses” onwards, Hart largely disavows his punk roots in favor of a variety of late-’60s styles, including theBlonde on Blondepastiche (complete with caterwauling harmonica) “Now That You Know Me” and the sneeringVan Morrisonshuffle “You’re the Victim,” one of several songs that seem to touch on the acrimonious breakup ofHsker D. The harrowing “The Main” is a piano-led, almost gospel-like first-person chronology of drug addiction, one of the most vivid and personal songs Hart has ever written, while the remake of “2541,” his pained remembrance of the band’s old rehearsal space from his debut EP, gives the previously acoustic song a dose of electric rock & roll energy that suits it just fine. It didn’t get the press attention ofBob Mould‘s much slickerWorkbook, out around the same time, but Intolerance is probably the better album. -All Music Guide