ALBUM REVIEW: Inertia – grandson

With his third studio album, the artist GRANDSON (aka Jordan Benjamin) promised listeners an album of resistance songs, and Inertia certainly delivers. This record confronts a central paradox of modern life: the feeling of being trapped in motion. Declared by Jordan as his heaviest and hardest work yet, this album is a call to arms, built on the premise that true power lies in the hands of the many against the few, with the aim to transform that feeling of stagnation into a catalyst for revolt.

The album opens with Bury You, a track that immediately sets the listener on edge with an unnerving guitar line before launching into a gritty, classic GRANDSON rock assault. His tone is dripping with accusatory scorn, masterfully conveyed without resorting to any screams, as the haunting refrain of “one by one they bury you” hammers the message home.

This intensity is swiftly followed by the rocky, upbeat Autonomous Delivery Robot. On the surface, it appears to be a sardonic, fun addition to the album – an ironic earworm that rants against the very technological dependency it so cleverly soundtracks. Just as one might dismiss it as a spoof, the bridge arrives with a reminder of GRANDSON’s impeccable, alliterative rap-punk style, showcasing a performer who has honed his craft to a razor sharp edge.

The official single Brainrot stands as an easy highlight. It’s short, sharp, and perfectly mirrors the fragmented attention spans it critiques. Each line is a scathing reference to a lingering societal tragedy, with a chorus that captures the profound helplessness of a capitalist hellscape. Its only misstep is a hasty ending that omits a final chorus, leaving the listener craving a more potent and meaty conclusion. This is followed by Self Immolation, a nu metal inflected track that feels somewhat underwhelming sonically, though it is partially redeemed by a slow, laconic breakdown.

One of GRANDSON‘s unique talents is his ability to articulate collective dissent in a unique first-person narrative, making it feel intensely relatable to the listener. You Made Me This Way is a prime example, pairing a vulnerable, softer chorus with a breakdown that could easily open a hardcore mosh pit. Jordan perfectly captures the political disillusionment felt by so many, regardless of affiliation. This political fury reaches its zenith on Little White Lies, which opens with the astoundingly audacious jaw-dropping line, “Jesus was a 5’4″ brown skinned socialist” delivered in poetic spoken word over a smirking guitar riff. The track is intentionally provocative and succeeds entirely in its goal. The lyrics’ authenticity avoids any corniness, a difficult feat in political rap, and GRANDSON‘s vocal range is put quietly on display, with his faint screams reminding you that he is an alternative artist after all.

God Is An Animal is a slow-burning command for attention, built on a grungy, heavy chorus, though its lyrical simplicity and familiar progressions make it less distinctive than other tracks on Inertia. No GRANDSON album would be complete of course without a call to arms, and Bells Of War answers with a TURNSTILE-esque burst of pure, effective anger. The emotionally charged Who’s The Enemy features the album’s sole collaboration with BOB VYLAN, a smart pairing in which both artists’ rapping styles build upon each other without a hint of gimmickry. It’s melancholy and loaded with emotion for those peers who are constantly discriminated against – the perfect pairing to embolden Inertia‘s core message.

The album closes with Pull The Trigger, an explosive melodic track that feels like an odd choice following it’s more thought-provoking predecessor. A switch into a trap beat and a shoegaze final breakdown adds an interesting element, but the track lacks the wieldy force required to perfectly conclude such an emotive and intense journey, and is somewhat underwhelming as an end to the record.

Ultimately, Inertia is a grand showcase of GRANDSON’s evolution. While the ferocity may be more dialled and controlled than in his earlier works, this is arguably his most scathing record. Nothing here is static; the album is a relentless push against complacency, its very title embodying a feeling of limbo that it fiercely resists. Every word is eloquently chosen, and each song oozes that classic rock-inspired flair. It may indeed be the “soundtrack to your revolution” in 2025.

Rating: 7/10

Inertia is out now via self release.

Follow GRANDSON on Instagram.