Project Grand Slam has a lot of clout in the American underground, and it isn’t solely because of the weight that leader Robert Miller’s name carries in indie circles. On the contrary, it might be the chemistry, so brilliantly exhibited in the new live single “I’m Falling off of the World,” that brings so many discerning listeners to their camp, especially in a season that has brought forth a lot of interesting collaborations from artists big and small the same.
While it’s hard to argue with the fact that PGS has a big moniker to work with, they sound pretty humble in this version of “I’m Falling off of the World,” which isn’t to say that they abandon aggressiveness at all. There’s meandering angst to the release of the groove in this piece that makes me want to swing along to the beat every time I listen to it, and yet there’s not a moment in the track where it feels like the percussion is the only element pushing the lyrics. It’s a legit concert feel and one that comes to us without having to get tickets and find a chill spot to watch the show from.
These lyrics don’t just frame something emotional in the music; they set up a lively centerpiece for the track that would not have been nearly as warm were it not being curated by a singer as talented and fluid with her lines as this one is. Miller has always had an ear for good talent, and he made the right choices with this lineup; it’s on par with what he’s put together in the past, and they might be the most forward-moving group for a live performance he’s assembled to date. The hook here is pretty understated, but it’s able to be thanks to the enormity of the harmonies in the first half of the song. It’s not at all surprising to me that this is the takeoff single from the tracklist of the lie album The Shakespeare Concert, which as an LP has been attracting a lot of big-name credibility from across the underground and beyond this spring.
Hardcore fans of Project Grand Slam need to make “I’m Falling off of the World” a priority listen, and really everything included in the new live record from this group. There’s a high standard for this band when they submit something fresh to the critics, and if you listen to what this single is made of, you’re going to understand why they’ve become one of the most reliable bands that I follow in all of their scene. They’re worthy of the spotlight that they get, and with Miller’s amazing leadership continuing to spin PGS in the right direction both creatively and commercially, I would not be at all surprised if The Shakespeare Concert and this lead single were just the beginning of a new level of mainstream attention for the brand. Believe in what these players do – after all, they’ve got the accolades to back up the buzz.
Rachel Townsend