There’s a lot going on in Grand Larson’s debut EP released last year, simply titled E.P. It’s got dingy funk, bluesy grooves, jazzy licks, and rock ’n’ roll attitude. But what sticks amid all this genre overload is a band clearly interested in older music, and smashing it all together into something new.
“The stuff I like predates 1978. I grew up on the Allman Brothers, Cream, Hendrix, Pink Floyd—a lot of the British Invasion blues bands,” says guitarist/singer Tyler Larson.
The grit and soul of the group has a distinctly rustic ’70s rock sound, which seems the most natural. But all six songs on the E.P. have an easy, laid-back groove that holds together nicely.
The idea behind the group was experimental. When Larson and bassist Duncan Shipton started working on songs, they were aiming to mix hip-hop beats with folk instrumentation.
“The hip-hop drumming style is super, super tight,” Larson explains. “Then this more loosey ethereal guitar part that you can overlay over the drums.”
The band had a different drummer at the time these songs were recorded, who was pretty focused on the hip-hop beat. Now sitting in is Rowan Decosse-Graves, a diverse player who brings a distinctly jazz element to his beats. It’s a subtle difference, but one that’s noticeable on Grand Larson’s new material.
8:30 p.m. Thursday, June 27. Moe’s Alley, 1535 Commercial Way, Santa Cruz. $8 adv/$12 door. 479-1854.
