The Grenadines

Grenadines photo

The Grenadines have risen up through Birmingham’s evolving music scene by cultivating a reflective, echoing voice. They’ve taken their moody sound to Texas and New York, but relish every chance they have to play in their musical home of Birmingham. Waking the listener from psychedelic dreams into sun-drenched romps, The Grenadines offer a dynamic experience that should not be missed.  

Husband and wife Michael and Lauren Shackelford share vocal duties, with Michael’s range serving both a substantial lead and suitable harmony to Lauren’s sultry, at times ethereal tones. David Swatzell adds to the band’s deep reverberations and lends a few striking solos when fitting.  Jesse Phillips is on bass, providing groove and disco-inspired lines as the song requires.

Their single “Shake” lets us in on an intriguing dialogue. “We wanted to do some call and response during the verse,” says Michael. “The man and woman would exchange back and forth, then come together to harmonize in the chorus.” The instrumentation, from the head-bobbing guitar and bass to the hat-focused drums, evokes disco lights during the verse.

After meeting label founder Jeffrey Cain at SXSW, The Grenadines have found a home at B’ham record label Communicating Vessels. “Everyone is so supportive there,” says Michael. “This place isn’t like the labels you hear about that take control of a project. They let us be creative.”
“They gave us all the tools we needed to make the new record,” says Lauren.

The Grenadines released their self-titled album on February 19, 2013. Presented by Communicating Vessels, it perfectly captures their dreamy, reverb-drenched appeal, but remains well balanced by a few striding rock tracks. “Not Much” is perfect for a rainy day when a bit of brooding is in order. The song’s solemnity is interrupted half-way through by radio static. A tense note rings out and lightly muted strings groove away over bare percussion.

“Counting Backwards” begins with a clean guitar riff that could easily be mistaken for vintage ’60s picking. A casual tempo relaxes the listener as Lauren’s voice enters, bordering just shy of a whisper.

The album benefits from excellent mixing and production at the hands of Jeffrey Cain, Andy Lemaster, Lynn Bridges, Darrell Thorp, and Kyle Ginther. The dreamscapes imaged by the musicians are translated to the listener with crystal clarity.  

Then there are songs tailor made for the stage. “Warmer” is best experienced in a live setting, face to the speaker as Swatzell wails on his Gibson SG for all it’s worth. A good band knows when to turn their instrumentalists loose for a crowd stoking solo, and a good guitarist knows when to reel it back in. The Grenadines are as tight an outfit as you’ll find after sundown.  

On stage, the Grenadines can switch from cool blue to red hot from song to song. While all their slower songs translate well into a live format, the rocker in each musician is evident from the first chord.  Michael and Swatzell both demonstrate some serious guitar dexterity, and Lauren is sure to get the crowd moving as she whips blonde locks behind the mic.   

“Reservations” contains the best of both worlds. Introduced with deep chords and an intense tremolo line, the song bursts through the atmosphere into a starry, arpeggiated verse, then enters a full-fledged rock chorus. It’s hard not to dance along to the drum beat when the song comes to a head.

“Firecracker,” one of Lauren’s personal favorites, was born out of cabin fever. “We were stuck in a hotel room in Minneapolis for several days,” she says. “You have to do something to keep sane, so we started writing.” The result is a playful tune with a muffled guitar riff, complete with vocal melodies that will sit comfortably in your head all day.   

That means they’ve done their job. The Grenadines are above all else, intoxicating. Their disco-influenced R&B sense of rhythm is infectious, and the melodies, including reverb-heavy guitars and breathy vocals, continue to resonate long after the show is over.

They’re still actively writing music. Listen out for new numbers like “Out in the Moonlight,” and “Lighting Strikes,” to appear on their next set list.

The Grenadines are now working on material for their next album. They also will tour far and wide to support their latest record.

Their new album, The Grenadines, is available now on iTunes, CD, and vinyl.  

Image courtesy of Communicating Vessels.

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