The Grip Weeds “Trip Around the Sun”
The Grip Weeds are easily one of the most successful power pop bands from New Jersey, featuring Rick Reil ( rhythm guitar), Kurt Reil (drummer, vocals) and his wife, Kristin Pinell Reil (lead guitar). Add to the mix, Dave DeSantis (bass) and you’ve got the complete package. The band doubles down on its musical influences from ’60s psyche-pop, hard rock, jangle and folk on this “Trip Around The Sun.”
Starting with the shimmering melody on “Vibrations” recalls 2013’s positive vibes from “Speed of Life.” It then goes to the slow-building gem “I Like Her,” and the folk-rock strums of “After Sunrise” with steel pedal accents. Psyche-pop has always been a specialty of The Grip Weeds repertoire and the groovy “Mr. Nervous” and Byrdsian “Truth Behind The Lie” stands with the band’s best work. Reil’s anthemic skills continue on the gems “Times I Wasted” and “She Tries” with its sweet harmonies and angular riffs. Overall no duds and nothing feels forced either. This is a band cruising along on a magic ride and it earns a top ten nomination for best of 2018. Highly Recommended.
The Cherry Drops “Good to the Last Drop”
On the third album from the retro-loving The Cherry Drops (Vern Shank, Josh Cobb, Jamie Markowski, and Jimmy Mason) they are joined by an array of guest stars. Ron Dante of The Archies, Dennis Tufano of The Buckinghams, Mark Dawson of The Grass Roots, Steve Boone of The Lovin’ Spoonful and the late Gary DeCarlo of Steam.
The opening “Cherry Drops Theme” features pitch-perfect Beach Boys-styled harmonies. “One More Try” is a bouncy theme that hits all the right optimistic buttons, with layered harmonies, guitars and booming percussion. “Tiger Feet” is another toe-tapper, similar to The Bay City Rollers that deserves its own custom dance moves. The band’s harmonies peak on “Feels Like Summer Love,” and “Rockin’ At The Hard Rock” with a genuine nostalgic glow and superior musicianship that really impressed me.
It’s fine that the guest stars play their respective “hits,” but a few songs do suffer from a little too much saccharine, like the Ron Dante (The Archies) led “Happynessville.” Thankfully the superior production lifts the cover material and helps make the music sound timeless. Highly Recommended.
