Not only is this the debut release from Halifax band Grow but it’s the first release from Grayston Unity Records. And if ‘Grayston Unity’ rings some bells, it should because The Grayston Unity in Halifax founded the label.
So I need to define – or try to define – the sound of this track. To be honest doing this has me scratching my head. The problem is that every time I listen to it I hear something different. It very definitely has something of the lushness and vibe of the psychedelic but it isn’t either psychedelic rock or pop. There’s something of the laid back drawl of Manchester in there. And then there’s the hint of Primal Scream. On the other hand it could have you reaching for psychedelic pop-rock. You see my problem.
At its base it’s a superbly written melodic kind of soft rock song but it’s what Grow do with this that makes it so bloody wonderful, There’s backing vocals so lush they hurt, There’s the touches of slide guitar, the piano that features so heavily and all that would enough but they go and add organ,
But there’s more, yes there’s more. This track is littered with subtle and clever touches of sounds that will have your brain spinning. And yes, some of those sounds, feels and vibes are definitely of the past but, and it’s a big but, this doesn’t sound shoehorned in. All you can do is sit back and admire what the band have done.
Look, this is a band doing their own thing, and that is a beautiful thing. It’s immediate for the ‘casual listener’ and the ‘closer listener’ will find much to appreciate over repeated spins. The brilliantly put together layers of sound just compel you to dive deeper and deeper. And I must say that despite what is undoubtedly complex production it still sounds like a band playing together.
The above is my attempt to explain why I love this track so much; I’m not sure it does. But I suspect this is one of those that’s going to hit different people differently. All I can really say is this song ticks all the boxes – suburb songwriting, great playing, wonderful arrangement and, most importantly, the sound of a band making their own music This is fabulous, go listen.
The single is available on all streaming services and available on vinyl via Bandcamp https://growtheband.bandcamp.com/album/your-own-time
