Grinspoon Guide To Better Living

After forming in 1995, Grinspoon wasted no time making their presence felt in the post-grunge landscape. The Lismore, New South Wales group’s 1997 debut album, Guide To Better Living, puts its own spin on the aggressive sound of metal-leaning rock bands such as Helmet and Alice In Chains. The churning “Pedestrian” in particular boasts fuzzed-out riffs and frenetic vocals from frontman Phil Jamieson, serving as a fine complement to the record's jagged, punkish songs (“DCx3”) and sludgy stoner-rock moments (“Scalped”). Guide To Better Living’s heavy vibe came in part from the album's engineer and co-producer, Phil McKellar, who oversaw the original 1994 version of Silverchair’s “Tomorrow” and also produced likeminded rockers Spiderbait. His approach preserved Grinspoon's melodic bent and penchant for quicksilver licks, leading to an album that had serious mainstream crossover appeal. Guide To Better Living established Grinspoon in Australia (the album was certified platinum and received ARIA Award nominations for Breakthrough Artist and Album) and helped the band gain an international foothold, including tours with Creed and Anthrax in America.