We often get albums in the post at tuneraker.com and you never know what you might find. So we start a new Lucky Dip feature this week. First off the block is UK act Built By Robots.
Singer-songwriter Gavin Grissett manages to sound remarkably like Paul Weller. On the uptempo ‘We Came We Conquered’ he does Jam-era Weller, adding a trumpet in the chorus for that extra 60’s R&B feel. Grissett keeps up the Weller resemblances in the slow numbers. Check ‘Coming Down’ for an uncanny dead-ringer for a ‘Wildwood’-era Weller ballad.
There’s more on ‘Locally Sourced Produce’, Grissett’s debut album, than straight Jam/Weller pop. Grissett goes 90’s funk rock on ‘Before You Lose It’ and a few of the slower songs are embellished with a whimsical folky touch reminiscent of Tyrannosaurus Rex. Try ‘My Wave’ with its percussion and oriental-flavoured strings.
Watch Built by Robots Live On YouTube
Built By Robots mastermind Grissett hails from Dorset in the Southwest of England and the album was recorded entirely with the help of local musicians. All in all, Grissett enlisted 13 musicians in the making of ‘Locally Sourced Produce’ which makes for a diverse album toying with a number of different styles.
If this would be 1975, I’d say ‘Locally Sourced Produce’ is a good example for a Pub Rock album. It’s 2008 and Pub Rock’s pretty much died out everywhere else, but there seems to be a corner of Dorset where it’s still alive and well. As Pub Rock goes, this ain’t Dr. Feelgood but it’s pretty decent.
We say: 
Listen to samples of ‘Locally Sourced Produce’ and download the album from iTunes UK.
For more information on the band, visit Built By Robot’s MySpace page.
