If anyone ever told you there was no such thing as great pop music in this city, they're lying. Case in point, the Gramercy Riffs charming new five-track EP Make Yourself Warm. Although this quintet has only been playing shows since last June, they've managed to score tons of acclaim, open for Elliott Brood, and befriend the dude that played Chewbacca. Not to mention the fact that this is their second EP in the past year, the first being a download-only called You've Been Kind. Make Yourself Warm is a yummy five course meal that tastes of city summer nights, “young hearts that collide,” and long distance love.
Make Yourself Warm has the best ingredients for what the band describes as “heartbreak/ nostalgia pop”- darned catchy songs about “Silent Walls and Siren Calls,” written by real-life love birds, adding to the songs' authenticity. The album itself has gone a long distance, having been constructed in several parts of the country, recorded by Matthew Finateri on Long's Hill, mixed by Jon Hynes in Toronto, and mastered by Steve Lily in Montreal. The Riffs picked a good title for this fulfilling album that makes one feel all warm and fuzzy about being in love.
Although I enjoyed everything about Make Yourself Warm, my favourite part of this EP are Mara Pellerin's songbird vocals on “Little One.” Reminiscent of indie queens like Jenny Lewis or Cat Power, Pellerin's emotive voice sparkles on this track as she sings “Love is nothing but a painful attempt to keep warm.” Pellerin also plays keys and horn on the album, and is joined on vocals by boyfriend and co-songwriter Lee Hanlon, as well as Adrian Collins, who both play guitar. The talent is rounded out by Daniel Banoub on bass and Jamie March on drums (March also designed the cute penguin-adored album artwork).
There are so many reasons to check out this album: The Gramercy Riffs are a talented, musically experienced gang, who write and play lovely, danceable pop songs about ambitious, twenty-something romance. They have already made at least one friend in a high place (man, that Chewbacca guy is like seven feet tall!). I can certainly list more but, but I don't want the appetizer to ruin the entree. Serve with a glass of red wine (or Black Horse, your choice) and bon appetit!
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