Always had a lot of time for Grain, but I’ll admit that it’s been a while since I last checked in on them. Nice, then, to have this discography to hand – particularly since I don’t think I ever managed to track down their s/t 7” on Forfeit Records. Hearing it all in one place, you realise that there was quite a lot going on, the band delving into a varied grab-bag of sounds while maintaining both focus and cohesion. As a 90s emo band, they nestle comfortably alongside Current, Mainspring, Ordination of Aaron and the like, by turns desperate, rambunctious and meditative. You can also hear Revolution Summer influences at play (Rites Of Spring, inevitably, but also Ignition and Soulside) and the awkward scrunchiness of bands like Squirrel Bait and Bitch Magnet. Standout tracks like ‘Springboy’, ‘Trout’ and ‘Breathe’ smoulder and crackle with urgent power, reminding the faithful just how electric this stuff could be and hopefully winning over some newer, fresher-faced acolytes along the way.