The grunge bands from Seattle only enjoyed success for a relatively small stretch of time, yet few musical movements had a more profound impact on mainstream music. This style, and all of the other alt-rock styles closely associated with it, had as many fans as it had detractors. The critics who complained about it, more often than not, focused on the music’s inherent tendency to focus on the more depressing facts related to the human experience.
But who else in pop music dared speak about it? Sure, you get brief glimpses of humanity in songs like “Another Day in Paradise.” But, for the most part, commercial entertainment strives to make the audience forget about hardships. This is because you can only ask for money once you get someone comfortable enough and beaming with a smile to give it to you.
Thankfully, there are those who have other ideas. Hani Abadi’s “Dementia” is a confrontational piece of alt-rock. It puts the listener in close vicinity of a topic of mental illness. It’s not an easy conversation to have, not even when it comes in the guise of a three-minute song. Musically, Abadi’s guttural vocals and the grunge-rock arrangement dominate the track. It’s a musical journey, even if the destination eventually reached will not involve happy endings.
Original page: Hani Abadi and The Grass Harp Reviewed – Alt77