the gramotones. ep.

the main reason why i keep going to the odd/odder bar for shut the far cupboard and sideways saloon (both nights hosted by the travellingband), is simply that i can be certain that i´ll be leaving at the end of the night, with the feeling of having found at least one more amazing live band. last month, this great live band was the gramotones. 

 the gramotones live @sideways saloon, odder bar (27 november)

this 4-piece band from manchester had absolutely no problem winning the audience over, including myself obviously. no question that i bought a copy of their debut ep, simply titled the gramotones which was released on november 19^th. band members are james cardus (drums), ryan comac (bass and vocals), sid cooper (guitar and vocals) and jake fletcher (guitar and vocals). their sound is probably based in the pop era of the ‘70s, with a little indie twist and a few rock elements that clearly can´t be denied.

 (left to right): jake, sid, james and ryan

(photography by tim simpson)

the ep kicks off with exile. if you´re able to sit still while listening to this song, you might want to check if you´re still alive. there´s no way you can ignore the beat of this song, and as soon as sid’s vocals hit you, it basically doesn´t take much else for you to fall in love with exile. the only thing i would criticise here is the fact that the song is just way too short. 

up next is m62 – this time with jake on lead vocals. exile was more a ‘party’-track, m62 is much darker. which becomes quite obvious by lines like it´s true what people say, that in the moment of death, you never feel more alive. not only the lyrics are darker, the sound is too but instead of getting quieter to ‘fit the mood’, it gets quite loud. drums that guide you through the song and appropriate backing vocals make m62 worth putting on repeat.

lyrics like would you like to know the reason why i hate you so? or would you rather i just kept it to myself? are full of sarcasm, and so is actually the entire song. unrequited love delivers basically everything you (or at least i) would expect from such a song title. the lyrics tell a more or less sad story but they can´t be taken serious, because the sound is way too positive. you´d think the music is working against the lyrics but it´s not, it works well together which actually just makes this song so great.

there is not much to say about the next track – when you leave. the missing drums here make it feel like jake is standing right next to you singing this song. his vocals are so clear, that it sounds like a recorded live version. the backing vocals are spot on and the acoustic guitar just adds to the live feeling. all in all, this one might be the best track on the ep.

second to last is horror draped in dry ice. this actually is a live version, although i have to say that i didn´t (and still don`t) hear that, which is good. it´s definitely a positive thing if you can´t tell the difference between a live and a studio version, that´s simply a compliment for the band. what makes this song so special? easy answer: the harmonies here are beyond amazing. the way the different vocals work together, make it really hard for you not to want to sing along. the drums dominate again, even though the three-part harmonies almost drown out the rest. but again, that doesn´t even matter because the harmonies themselves make the song what it is.

the ep ends with daltry street. on the one hand it´s similar to when you leave… on the other hand, it´s not. what do both tracks have in common? jake on lead vocals. what makes them different? daltry street really just concentrates on jake´s vocals, there are no backing vocals whatsoever. plus here he uses an electric guitar which immediately sets this song apart from when you leave. sometimes the vocals seem a little rushed while the melody seems to slow down. the connection between lyrics/vocals and melody works a little better in unrequited love. daltry street is probably the unpolished diamond on the ep.

 the gramotones live @sideways saloon, odder bar (27 november)

what´s the verdict? the gramotones sound is a nice change to all the mainstream pop that´s out there right now. their vocal harmonies are already brilliant, their sound unique. the songs are well-structured and they´re certainly a talented bunch of songwriters. for a debut ep, well done! but i´m sure they´re capable of much more and i personally can´t wait to see, and most of all hear, what the future has in store for them.

 the gramotones

(photography by tim simpson)

a little extra something at the end… little river is one of the songs i distinctly remember from their live set at sideways saloon. why? i just can´t ignore the german in me when jake´s counting from one to four in german at the beginning of little river… which makes this song even more amazing!

you can have a listen to the ep here. but make sure to visit the gramotones facebook page to find out how you can get your hands on a copy of the ep. and you better be quick – the ep is limited to 200 copies, so once they´re gone, they´re gone…