“Growing Pains” from Greye

One of the key themes in the new song “Growing Pains” from Florida rockers, Greye, is the idea of surviving. Inferred and not spoken in the guitar lines, the audacity of the electric guitar waling in-and-out of the vocals and a persistent percussion. The energy and the emotional tornado whirling around is par for the course for Greye, but this one ups the game and the stakes just a bit higher.

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According to the press materials, “Growing Pains” lyricist and Greye lead singer, Hannah Summer, put her thoughts on the pandemic to song. It wasn’t hard, the materials said, for her to soon come up with the opening lines the world around me is fading at the edges, that prickling black is getting narrower, narrower. Summer sings into the higher octaves, but the tenor in her voice is still smoky, perfect for a rock and roll frontwoman. Listeners can glean both a rapport and entertainment from Summer. She lets down her guard, she lets the listener in to her inner-most thoughts. As a songwriter, she really nails a lot of the key elements to a great story, and an enthralling one at that. “Growing Pains” doesn’t have to be a Covid-19 song if you don’t want it to be; this song has other avenues to explore and that’s why it deserves such high praise. Songs like “Growing Pains” that give the listener a choose your own adventure style of interpretation are some of my favorite. Depending on your mood, some days you just want to rock out and play air guitar. Other times, as was the case on my first listen to “Growing Pains” you want to sit and wallow into the high octane singing from Summer.

“Growing Pains” cultivates a strong bridge between blues rock and classic rock. Based in Daytona Beach, Florida, Greye have been stage mainstays for some time, and their appetite for live performing shines through in the final mix. The throbbing bass lines, especially, help create that anticipation and excitement. Bassist Josh Reid has great instincts. He’s in a great pairs/double tennis match with guitarist Jett Wolfe. The flow between the instrumentation is dynamite. Keyboardist Kenn-e Williams is in there, but the majority of the sound is coming from Wolfe, and drummer Ray Grimard. The song bed articulates perfectly, Summer’s words. The sound explodes at times, mimicking the feeling of mental exhaustion, and wanting to scream. It does so with a polished sound, but leaves enough room for organic synergy. I can’t tell if this band laid their tracks separately and mixed them in later, and I love not knowing that. I love that they bring their A game to the studio.

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This might be a little out of left field, but I think fans of Sly and the Family Stone will dig “Growing Pains”. It doesn’t have quite the funk to in its toolshed, but it’s still a get-up and groove song. I like where Greye is going with their sound. “Growing Pains” is the cure for the rock and roll blues.

Mindy McCall

The music of Greye has been heard all over the world in partnership with the radio plugging services offered by Musik and Film Radio Promotions Division.  Learn more https://musikandfilm.com