Review: Grumsling – “A Church, On a Boat, In the Sea”
There are moments upon the A Church, On a Boat, In the Sea EP from San Francisco alternative 
act Grumsling when you can hear vocals reminiscent of Modest Mouse frontman Isaac Brock. But, beyond that, the band sounds like a mouse unable to push its wheel with much velocity.
While it can be argued that Grumsling’s primary focus is to deliver lyrical work designed to appeal to those who want to dig deep into the wordplay, the surrounding instrumentation and gang vocals fail to propel the songs to the next level.
The instrumental work and off-kilter arrangements prove that Grumsling are not surfing an ocean of mediocrity, but where’s the punch? Of course, not all band’s require a brass knuckle-tough type of punch to be successful or appealing, but it sounds like Grumsling is semi-commital on the matter.
At points on A Church, On a Boat, In the Sea, the band sounds as if it’s on the verge of striking an uptempo surge of momentum, but quickly dials it back as if there’s a concern that neighbours will complain about the racket.
I felt myself longing for something to lift the tracks and thus get my heart pounding a bit. Instead, I was left wondering if Grumsling is a band that’s too comfortable in a speed that doesn’t translate into exciting results.
-Adam Grant
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