MP3: Grande Roses - Burst
What happens to punk-rockers when they get old? Well, they can either desperately cling to what once was or they can do what Grande Roses did and go country. It might not seem obvious at first, but it makes sense when you think back to bands like Social Distortion who always had a bit of twang in their music. I personally went through a bit of my own country (re-)discovery after getting burnt on the punk scene. Which is not to say I don't like punk anymore, I'm just not the angry young man I used to be and my musical tastes reflect that. I will always consider myself a punk at heart nomatter what's in my stereo as the ideals imparted on me from growing up in that scene are too strong to ignore. I imagine Grande Roses probably feels the same way, though they seem to have retained more of their youthful vigor that I, judging by the shit-kicking tempos of their songs. If you think about it, country and punk aren't all that different - they're both all about the anti-hero, the outlaw. But don't look up to Sid Vicious dammit, take on Johnny Cash as a role model.
This particular song that I've posted today comes from Grande Roses debut 7" "Arctic heart". It lacks the excellent steel guitar leads that enhance the rest of the EP, but the accordion fills the space nicely. I'd like to hear a bit more tempo/rhythm variation (hear all four songs here), but I have to admit it works in their favor as a good way to introduce the band. I like this a lot.
Grande Roses - Burst