Hailing from Birmingham, Alabama, The Grenadines are fronted by husband/wife team Michael and Lauren Shackelford. Working with Jim Eno of Spoon and other producers in the music business like Andy LeMaster (Bright Eyes) has had its benefits on this Southern indie rock band. With both slow and upbeat songs on their self-titled record, they have their own distinct sound that can be heard on every song. The first two tracks, “Shake” and “Firecracker,” bring an upbeat pace to the album that’ll get the listeners moving. “Counting Backwards” changes the tone with a soothing bassline, allowing for the twangy guitars to shine. A clear focus for the next two songs is the use of guitar. “Down” is filled catchy riffs that will get stuck in your head, and “Warmer” features bends and sustains poking through the background.
To kick off the second half of the album, the band turns to “Reservations.” This song shows the exceptional ability of Michael and Lauren blending their voices together. Their strength to sing is also displayed through “Carousel,” “Umbrellas” and “Not Much.” The latter song features a slow jam from the 1:40 mark on, with consistent bass and guitar parts. “First To Fold” and “Colourblind” are more upbeat than the others and use chords effectively while also containing intermittent guitar riffs, and a catchy snare/cymbal drumbeat. Altogether, it’s a great listen and very impressive, as the band stayed true to their style. Their method is all about the bass and rhythm guitar laying down the tones for the vocals to take charge, while the lead guitar gives each song an extra push. This is a great rock record that will keep you moving the entire listen through.
In A Word: Groovy
