Press |
DiG |
JEM Records Celebrates John Lennon |
Giant On The Beach
Trip Around The Sun |
Force of Nature Live in NYC |
How I Won The War
Inner Grooves |
Speed Of Live/Live Vibes |
Strange Change Machine
House of Vibes Revisited
Summer of a Thousand Years |
The Sound Is In You
Under The Influence Of Christmas |
Infinite Soul (The Best Of)
Press Releases
"Many have tried, few have succeeded, but this veteran band with a lead-singing drummer comes as close as any to faithfully re-creating the sounds of musical heroes of yore." – Under The Radar Magazine (07/06/20)
"It’s The Grip Weeds at the top of their game." - Musoscribe (04/28/20)
"The Who meet The Beatles in an alley and duel to the death, spilling blood all over the hapless Oasis, who have been forced to sit in leg-irons cowering in fear, as Alex Chilton and Chris Bell keep handing the combatants fresh weapons. Yes, it's that good." - ShinDig Magazine (03/10/20)
"Giant On the Beach combines the kind of sonic experimentation executed by the Beatles on the Rubber Soul and Revolver albums, with the volume and muscle of bands such as the Who, the Move and Nazz." - Something Else! (02/14/20)
"This is not your father’s (or grandfather’s) drowsy, zen- positive hippie music. I would imagine Paul Weller and Andrew Loog Oldham might listen to this stuff while pouring themselves Sunday morning black and tans." - My Space (06/06)
"I totally love this album. It's so moving, inspiring and uplifting, on so many levels. Quite probably the best album I've heard for some time."
- Bliss / Aquamarine - Redditch, Worcestershire, England (10/05)
"The Grip Weeds mow over their pre-Woodstock love-and-peace vibe with a treble- heavy, early 70s guitar attack."
- Havoc Television - (Havoc TV is a music channel available nationwide by Comcast and Adelphia digital cable service providers.) (08/05)
“The Grip Weeds psychedelic rock for the new millennium is a groovy trip man.”
- Americana UK (08/05)
"This is a band of four distinct individual talents that superbly blend together as one, creating a whole which is greater than its parts and which, without each of these pieces, would be left lacking."
- Bucketfull of Brains - London , England (06/05)
"Bottom line, give me a hard-rockin’ band with excellent songs, 3-4 part harmony, and a touch of paisley, and the occasional sitar, and I’m there.”
- Pop Culture Press - Austin, Texas (04/14/05)
"Music: New Jersey’s the Grip Weeds may have a throwback look, feel and attitude, but make no mistake, this is highly advanced pop music. Founded by brothers Rick (rhythm guitar) and Kurt Reil (lead vocals/drums), along with Kristin Pinell (lead guitar) and Michael Kelly (bass), this is a group with a vision for great hooks and harmonies. Psychedelic overtones and serious songwriting chops make this CD stand out, song after song.
Drumming: The Grip Weeds’ bio refers to Kurt Reil as a “powerhouse drummer, pounding out grooves and fills with the precision of a sober Keith Moon” to which we grin and say, “Amen”. Kurt gets your attention right away on “Astral Man”, with its tense tom-led intro, whomping 4/4 beat, and engaging transitions that keep the song moving straight ahead. His pillowy groove forms the perfect bed for the soaring jangle of “Realities”. His quick-sweeping fills are always a pleasure, like the ones he sprays across “Infinite Soul”, a song which refuses to get out of your head. Kurt lets his mind and skills go free on the trippy “Get By”, where he builds the song by applying driving power all across the kit. Plus, he’s the lead singer throughout, and does just fine at that function.
Verdict: One of this year’s true diamonds in the rough." -
David Weiss, writer for Drum!, Mix, Remix and TapeOp
- The Grip Weeds
Giant on the Beach
Rainbow Quartz Records (03/10/05)
"The Grip Weeds rank as one of the more eclectic members of the mind- bogglingly cool Rainbow Quartz stable of artists."
- Uptown Magazine - Winnipeg, Manitoba (1/27/05)
Texas: I need your help. I've reached a rut in my music collection. i'm getting tired of my older CD's but I'm having trouble finding any good new CD's. I was looking for some good grage rock. I really don't care for too much pop/rock, but if its good, and has guitars, I'll give it a listen. Thank you in advance.
Ken Barnes: Good garage rock, huh? Check out the White Stripes, Green Hornes, Grip Weeds, Contrast, maybe the Hives (listen to a couple tracks first), Detroit Cobras, Donnas (not really garage- rock but plenty of guitars and pop tunes), Mooney Suzuki, for starters. There's plenty more where those came from.
- USATODAY.com
Talk Today
All Things Music: USA TODAY's Ken Barnes (01/20/05)
"Now this is rock and roll! The Gripweeds manage to combine this psychedelic eclecticism with powerful pop hooks to put together some absolutely first class rock and roll."
- The Rock and Roll Report (11/18/04)
"While their last album, The Sound Is In You , was an enjoyable listen, Giant is even better, with just a tad more aggression amping up their already fine pop songwriting."
- Chartattack - Toronto, Ontario (Canada) (01/02/04)
"...While it’s dangerous to call The Weed’s latest effort perfect...the New Jersey four-piece follow their forefather’s footsteps closely, and do a bang- up job of it."
- Soulshine - Scarborough, Ontario (Canada) (01/19/05)
"NJ’s Grip Weeds have bridged the gap between old and new..."
Graffiti - Charleston, West Virginia (01/19/05)
"...you have to have the chops to make this kind of homage work, and the Grip Weeds do. Kurt Reil has an explosive drum technique that propels the music, drives it ahead. His partner in rhythm, bassist Michael Kelly, lends a thick bottom to the music, keeping it grounded. On top of this foundation, guitarists Rick Reil -- Kurt's brother -- and Kristin Pinelli spin musical gold, supplying snaking solos and intricate fills, creating a musical mise en scene."
- PopMatters - Evanston, IL (01/05/05)
"With a knack for unleashing simultaneously tingly and white- knuckled riffs and weaving together vocal harmonies as if they'd grown up together singing in a church choir, the Grip Weeds have a palpable group chemistry that so many bands boast of but so few actually possess."
- Magnet - Philadelphia, PA (01/04/05)
"Just prior to the release of their fourth CD Giant On The Beach, the Grip Weeds (Rick,Kurt, guitarist Kristin Pinell, and bassist Michael Kelly) kindly took the time to share with Night & Day some thoughts on songwriting, the new album, and all things Grip Weed."
- NBunderground - New Brunswick, NJ (12/04)
"...the band is as tight and tuneful as ever ..."
- High Bias - Austin, Texas (12/21/04)
The Rainbow Quartz label is becoming hugely prolific, virtually recreating the power pop scene all on their own. The Grip Weeds will find resonance with fans of early Sloan and even the older generation who still have Badfinger records stashed away. The variation here is the psychedelia bent the Weeds have, which may or may not be their strongest selling point. Fortunately there's no sitar and they do rock out, as evidenced by an earlier Ottawa gig that everyone missed. Well crafted pop worth checking out.
-
Ottawa X--Ottawa, Canada
Giant On The Beach
Jeremy Milks (11/22/04)
"...Grip Weeds distinguish themselves from the planet's glut of Little Steven-sanctioned 60s revivalists by sheer professionalism. Giant On The Beach...is profoundly well produced, its psychedelic melodies, Merseybeat riffs and surf harmonies resonating with a clarity that...remind us of all that's good about the old."
- iJamming - Brooklyn, New York (11/12/04)
"...Giant on the Beach is power-pop par excellence..."
- Splendid Magazine - Downers Grove, IL (11/10/04)
"...a near- perfect slice of vintage psychedelic pop music with all the hallmarks which will make fans of the genre rejoice...of all the bands purveying the psychedelic pop genre, The Grip Weeds have the best chance of achieving perfection."
- Bucketfull of Brains - London, England (11/04)
"...Songs are what make or break bands of course...and that's what makes Giant such a pleasing spin. The thirteen cuts on this album are pleasing smooth pop with a really cool organic sound... (Rating: 5+++) "
- LMNOP and BabySue - Cleveland, Tennessee (11/04)
"Yet another well done album from this New Jersey psychedelic band. If you are a psych-pop fan who likes the psych to be a bit stronger than the pop, you should give this a whirl."
- Fufkin (11/04)
"...a disc that will contend for Top Ten honors in 2004...great songwriting, great riffs and wonderful harmonies..."
- Fufkin (11/04)