The Grip Weeds - House of Vibes Revisited (CD, Ground Up, Pop/rock)
We were as pleased as punch to receive this in the mail because, although we had already become big fans of The Grip Weeds over the years, we never managed to get our greedy little paws on House of Vibes, the band's 1994 debut (named after the house the band lives and records in). Rather than being a mere remaster/reissue of the album, House of Vibes Revisited receives the deluxe treatment here. In addition to the twelve tunes on the original album, this CD also includes three bonus tracks (demos), four live acoustic tracks, and two live electric tunes (in addition to some short interview snippets as well as the ability to access additional material on the internet). The original twelve album tracks sound as if they may have been inspired and/or influenced by Redd Kross. Upbeat and highly melodic, these folks effectively captured the essence of a live band playing while still managing to incorporate plenty of smart and appropriate overdubs. Fans of the British Invasion will find a lot to love here. These songs have held up extremely well over time and will probably now be embraced by a much larger audience than when they were first released. Unlike many CDs that include trashy bonus material, the extras on this CD are appropriate and effective. The demo tracks ("Don't Belong," "Edge of Forever," "Walking in the Crowd") are particularly cool and magnetic. We were already fans of The Grip Weeds...but now we're even bigger fans. Highly recommended. (Rating: 5+++)