Grand Island
© Racing Junior 2008
Get this album at our online store
Recorded and mixed by:
Mike Hartung (Enslaved, Gluecifer, Gåte, Jaga Jazzist, JR Ewing, Satyricon, Odd Nordstoga, Shining) at Propeller Studios
View brand new video: View the earlier videos: "The Inbetween is the Everything" (myspacetv) - Video shot by Mr Lars Einar Skageberg at Blå, Oslo, 2006 Spring/summer tour: 11 April Oslo (NO) Blå (Release concert)
More dates coming up! Energetic and bloody southern indie After three European tours, performances at larger festivals on the continent as well as invitations to South by Southwest and Eurosonic, nominations for Spellemann- (Norwegian Grammy) and Alarm awards, Grand Island is finally back. Their debut-album “Say no to sin” was a refreshing, melodic rhythm-extravaganza with dirty bluegrass, americana on speed and rock`n roll. The album could have been the perfect soundtrack to a dusty American road-movie from the 70`s. With the critically acclaimed debut-album in the trunk, the band has spent the last year in studio to record their second album, “Boys & Brutes”, which is to be released spring 2008. The music of Grand Island can be described as an unrelenting mix of pumping string-handling, subtle yet insanely shifts in tempo, mood and intensity. The band has worked hard to keep their originality and trademarks, but at the same time sought to expand their musical expression in a more melodic, manifoldly and dynamic direction. Sweet and tears has been left behind on the road and in the studio. Blood has been spilt. Cars crashed and bridges burned. All so that we with pride and humility can present “Boys & Brutes”, an album for those that wish to cry, dance or fight. Sin songs and sin-alongs! The album was recorded and mixed in the famous Propeller studios with Mike Hartung (A-ha, Shining, Satyricon, and more) as producer. The album was mastered in Los Angeles by Dave Collins (Queens of the stone age, Madonna, Black Sabbath, Sting, and more.) First single from the album, “Wish it was summer always”, is a catchy and radio-friendly song, which is known to cause intense scenes of joy and delight. It`s a grief-stricken tribute to love. Grand Island is planning a Norwegian tour in April followed by a European tour in May as well as selected festivals through-out northern Europe. Well put after the bands performance at this years Eurosonic; “There are two choices, you either love them to pieces or you want to bust their heads from confusion”.
© Racing Junior 2008
Available for download Taken from the coming album "Boys & Brutes" available spring 2008.
Grand Island
© Racing Junior 2006
Catalog no.: RJCD035 Track list:
Get this album at our online store About Grand Island:
Members: “Ah, Grand Island! Water round the ankles, soul through your ear, fifteen dirty strings, shards from ivory poundings, shakes and rolls – Amerigrass! Discalore!” - the rev. Adelair M. Haynes Two brothers have spent the most of their lifetime plucking strings and hammering pianos and beatup drums in the ways of mountain music and deltablues. As the brothers returned from overseas they met three friends, and the 5-piece orchestra started forging that Grand Island sound. The band grew tired of the limitations in the Appalachian music legacy, and so more and more of the deliciously eccentric sides of music appeared as the band’s sound grew from straight ahead amerigrass to a tight, energetic and dirty hybrid in the mesh made from hardsoul-bluegrass-disco, hardcore and rockn’roll. Sulphur vocals, heavy organs, banjo fingers from ’76, desert bass and big city drums. It’s a joyous, uncompromising melodic rhythm-galore, with two brothers on skins and bass and two brothers in front on strings and wails, with one fifth of keys on the side. The band has one foot in west coast glamorama and the other in Georgia, with its head pushed down in the sand of 29 Palms, one arm from Motor City, Appalachian revival-folk and gospel. Sin songs and sin-alongs. “These five guys trash through American music-traditions in a highly unrepentant and unique way. It sounds deliciously raw and refreshingly unpretentious. Banjo strings are torn, keys are pounded and a raspy wail floats on top as the melodies glide on like wild horses over open plains and steep canyons. Throw in a solid batch of rock n’ roll and one of the most distinct vocals in modern rock, and you will not be far from the truth. It is hard to remain unmoved by the joy and enthusiasm in Grand Island’s live shows, as they tighten their grip around your heart and shakes up your foundation. If you have yet to see this orchestra in action, use any opportunity. You will have your ears played hot and your grin wide - Oya Festival “Is Grand Island the best unsigned rock band in Norway today? Considering how unabashedly great the band played yesterday in Oslo, it definitely appears to be so. The band practically struck sparks onstage. Like a young and vital MC5 they give it their all from the first second and pump out gem upon gem of songs. There are enormous musical capacities in the band, the songs are nailed, as is the live-show. If Grand Island play their cards right, they may very well become tremendously successful.” - Panorama ’The coming Greats in norwegian rock?’ - Dagbladet, terningkast 5
'...a band with a vast potential and the will to challenge the boundaries under which they play. Grand Island's potential is also their force, as opposed to other bands already placed in a genre, they (Grand Island) point as much ahead as they are a fully realized band.'
- Ballade.no
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Grand Island
