Grip Weeds
Album Title: Giant On The Beach
Release Date: November 16, 2004
Rating:



Genre: Pop/Rock

From Rainbow Quartz records, the label that’s “your source for perfect guitar pop”, comes another album of great guitar pop in The Grip Weed’s ‘Giant On The Beach’. While it’s dangerous to call The Weed’s latest effort perfect should Beatles and Byrds fans start a riot, the New Jersey four-piece follow their forefather’s footsteps closely, and do a bang-up job of it. The band combines all the elements of ‘60s music that people fondly remember – the Beach Boy-esque harmonies, the uplifting and fairly lightweight lyrics, and most of all the jangly guitars favoured by The Byrds and The Kinks.

In fact, it would be possible to throw The Grip Weeds on a mix with any of the guitar pop groups of the ‘60s and not have a single person notice the band was out of decade. However, since that particular mind-trick is possible, this is the part where the obligatory comment that The Grip Weeds’ fourth album does not bring anything new to the musical table is entered. But since every band is accused of being unoriginal these days, it shouldn’t be held against The Weeds in any form. They create music that’s enjoyable and worth hearing, even if it sounds a little familiar. And hey, they boast a female lead guitarist; let’s see your Byrds do that.

Writer: Jaclyn Arndt