I might actually be able to dub this my favorite b-sides ever, which is odd because those stories generally involve dancing. For this one, I sat down and had my mind blown... repeatedly. The first thing I noticed on arrival was the unusual setup-two drum kits at the front of the stage, backed by two keyboards and a wall of gear. When the show began, that wall of gear produced an enormous wall of sound to match. That "wall of sound" approach has been tried by hundreds of bands since Phil Spector created it in the 60s, with mixed results. The compelling difference with Grandchildren is their authenticity. In a band playing two of the hippest styles in music right now-polyrhythmic and psych/folk-at the same time, one might expect a hint of tongue-in-cheek pandering, but there is none here. Aleks Martray and friends play completely in earnest; they love this music.Each member is a multi-instrumentalist, contributing to the everything-including-the-kitchen-sink approach they seem to take to songwriting. Trombone, trumpet, vocoder, and electronic samples of various kinds all make their way into the percussion-heavy mix of more ordinary drums, guitar, bass, keys, and vocals. Pouring their passion into so many instruments, the band and their audience are rewarded with sweat and a sound so enthralling that my friends and I had to take time to digest before enthusiastically gushing over the band and purchasing merch. Apparently these are some of the guys behind DIY venue Danger Danger Gallery in West Philly, so I look forward to seeing them around when I move back in the fall. I might even make it down for their show at Kung Fu Necktie April 14th.
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