Grand Analog is a Canadian hip hop band, fronted by Odario Williams. The project combines R&B, jazz, reggae and rock influences into a hip hop style performed mainly on live instruments instead of digital electronics.Denise Benson, Extended Play: Grand Analog, eye weekly, March 5, 2008. Denise Benson.Archived at the Wayback Machine.
History
Grand Analog was first formed by Williams in 2002 as a short-lived rock-oriented side project from his main band Mood Ruff. After Mood Ruff's breakup, he revived the project with a new focus on reggae and hip hop in 2006."Grand Analog". AllMusic Biography by Cyril Cordor Williams has told the press that "sonically, I knew that I wanted to dig into dub and rock and soul. I've always wanted to do that, but years ago I wasn't free enough upstairs to know that I could."
The band released their first album, Calligraffiti, in 2007. A follow-up album, titled Metropolis Is Burning,Dart, Chris Name."Grand Analog Move Forward", Exclaim!, June 2009. was released on May 26, 2009.Tanya Bailey, "Artist Profile: Grand Analog" , Toronto Music Scene, December 17, 2008."Mini-review Grand Analog". Robert Everett-Green, Globe and Mail, Jun. 02, 2009 The album topped the Canadian community and campus radio hip hop chart for several weeks.. Chart Attack - Jul 21, 2009
Grand Analog won two Western Canadian Music Awards for Best Rap/Hip-Hop Recording in 2009 for Touch Your Toes EP and 2010 for Metropolis Is Burning."Previous Winners" Breakout West festival website
The band's third album, Modern Thunder, was released in Canada on August 20, 2013."Grand Analog Modern Thunder". Exclaim!, By Del F. Cowie Aug 16, 2013"First Play: Grand Analog, Modern Thunder" . CBC Music, August 13, 2013. Modern Thunder was also released in various European countries on German label Ferryhouse Records; and released in the U.S. on Brooklyn label Feel Up Records.
In 2015, the band released an album, Roll Dub Soul Rap,"Review – Grand Analog". Canada Beats, Jenna Melanson on October 8, 2015 and performed at a number of clubs in western Canada."Hip-hop act quietly plotting world domination". Winnipeg Free Press, Jen Zoratti 02/5/2015 In 2016, they released a video, "Love is a Battlefield"."Grand Analog "Love Is a Battlefield" (video)". Exclaim! By Gregory Adams Aug 31, 2016.
Discography Calligraffiti (2007) Metropolis Is Burning (2009) Modern Thunder (2013) Roll Dub Soul Rap (2015) Survival (2018)
References
External links
Feelup Records