The Grip Weeds, Summer Of A Thousand Years, Rainbow Quartz Records.

I’m a complete sucker for any band that sounds like a cross between The Byrds, The Who, The Move and The Beatles, not to mention about a hundred other nameless, long-forgotten 60s American and British garage bands. That’s what you’ll hear with The Grip Weeds, New Jersey natives, I’m proud to say. Their sound ranges from electric and acoustic/electric 12-string jangle to thundering, power chord attacks, mixed with lovely vocal harmonies, a few studio tricks here and there, and drumming highly reminiscent of the late Keith Moon. The band’s material is loaded with unfailingly interesting melodies and sounds that will take you back to 1966 in a heartbeat. www.rainbowquartz.com, www.gripweeds.com.