1000 Gram

1000 Gram are masters of the craft of ‘90s indie rock, vacillating expertly between college rock, shoegaze, dreampop and lo-fi. There are notes of Built to Spill, shadows of Bright Eyes, touches of Pavement and tinges of Braid. For rock fans who know their history, By All Dreams Necessary an easter egg full of surprises—and for newer, younger listeners discovering the genre, it’s a perfect primer. First single “Daydream” is equal parts heavy and soft, rubbery basslines and discordant guitars, the band tumbling over itself towards ecstacy. Tracks like “Loose Ends” and “Don’t Mind/Will Abide” show a softer side of the band, while still not skimping on strength, volume, and DIY ethos. Every guitar solo, ever cymbal splash, and every gut-wrenching lyric stands out, while also effortlessly melting into a sea of slacker-punk feedback.
Closer “Already Gone” is perhaps the track that shows how far 1000 Gram have come in the decade or so since they began. A six-minute-long mini-symphony of sorts, it skips along the spectrum of what the band have to offer, beginning as a sweet, aching ballad and swelling into a breakneck, buzzsaw alt-rock rager, racing itself towards the finish line. “I’d strip your argument of all its pretense/If I’d only care enough about you,” Moritz belts, belying his anti-authoritarian hardcore roots. “You should learn to believe that some daylight/would really help you work things out.”