Grand Ole Party
Humanimals
DH Records
By J. Poet
This trio of rockers now live in San Diego, but they came together at UC Santa Cruz, a town with a reputation for laid back surfers and jam bands. Grand Old Party is neither: unlike many indie rockers, these kids aren’t high concept noise merchants or lo-fi anti-rockers. You might say they’re blues rock revivalists, although their classic rock stance has a decidedly modern edge.
Let’s just say they’re a rock and roll band with a powerful female lead singer unlike any of the wispy gal guitar strummers or neo-R&B belters who over sing everything in hopes of convincing you that they’ve got soul. Kristin Gundred, who is also the band’s drummer, has the kind of pure, raw, soulful delivery that was once de rigueur. Guitarist Paul Labno compliments her with his more is less approach, and while he can rip off a nasty solo, his fretwork is always put in the service of the song. Bass man Mike Kerchnyak holds down the low end with subtle assurance, and, by the way, Gundred is as impressive on the skins as she is on vocals.
“Look Out Young Son” opens the album with the kind of unabashed demonstration of female sexuality that’s all too rare. Gundred’s vocals are assertive, without a trace of the coyness that can be so disconcerting. When she says the men will come crawling to her, you believe her. Labno’s sinister hook and ska influenced rhythmic accents make the tune something special. “Redrum Heart” is an old fashion riff rocker with just a hint of The Stones in its clanging guitar and straightforward drumming. Gundred delivers the lyric with a hint of Mae West’s sass while Labno’s Chuck Berry meets Brain Jones solo adds to the songs sizzle. Kerchnyak’s bouncing, walking bass opens “Dirty Spirit Rang,” a sprightly swing tune with a sinister lyric: it closes with an unexpected quote from The Beatles that perfectly fits the song’s mood. “Insane” changes things up with a tune that sounds like an unknown hit by Bertolt Brecht. Gundred sounds possessed as she flippantly growls “We are all going to die here” after sketching in a list of society’s currant maladies.
When the band put out Humanimals on their own label, they couldn’t press up enough copies to keep their growing fan base happy. With national release on DH and digital availability on iTunes, the band should start getting some of the recognition they deserve.
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