Dec. 28: The Graniteers to ring in the release of new EP at The Shakseen
This trio has been putting out records since the late 2010s, with their latest being the “Shine” EP that came out back on December 13. On December 28, they’re going to be celebrating its release at The Shaskeen starting at 9 p.m. with Boston punks Already Dead, local garage rockers The Doldrums, and
MANCHESTER, NH – Ever since I started covering live music in Manchester and other cities around New Hampshire, I’ve mentioned a few times in the Ink Ink how “The Queen City” has a very vibrant punk rock scene. There’s a ton of great bands who call the city home while infusing numerous elements into their sound, whether it’s blue-collar folk, 2000s era pop punk or a gritty edge that echoes their surroundings. A band that identifies with the latter is The Graniteers, who consist of guitarist & vocalist Nick Ferrero, bassist Monica Grasso and drummer Jordan McCrea. This trio has been putting out records since the late 2010s, with their latest being the “Shine” EP that came out back on December 13. On December 28, they’re going to be celebrating its release at The Shaskeen starting at 9 p.m. with Boston punks Already Dead, local garage rockers The Doldrums, and hardcore rippers TFR rounding out the bill.
During the creation process, the band took on a lot of the production themselves while working with an engineer who is based in the midwest. When it comes to the songwriting, there’s more of an intense vibe than their previous material that’s influenced by the current social landscape.
“From a production standpoint, our latest EP was a mix of our usual DIY ethic with an immense amount of help from our friend John Espy, who is a mixing and mastering engineer,” Ferrero says about the new record. “All the music and vocals were tracked at our own recording space, and then sent to John, who lives in Ohio. He was able to mix in real time along with input from us while using an app, which is pretty much Zoom for audio engineers. From a creative standpoint, this new batch of songs turned out to be a bit darker and heavier than our older stuff, maybe it’s the times we’re living in. Lyrically, it’s the usual cynicism with dashes of positivity thrown in.”
“Notably, our song “Burnout,” is a bit of a slam on people whose sole purpose is to obtain money, and present themselves as wealthy, whether they are or not,” he adds. “It’s also about how we use the term ‘burnout’ to describe someone who’s done too many drugs but also the feeling of working too hard interchangeably.”
“Get Undone” starts the EP off in pulsating fashion with Mattern setting the tone from behind the kit. The song that Ferrero just mentioned, “Burnout,” is a sonic shock to the senses and it exemplifies the intense quality that’s present throughout the release. There’s more melody within “Dotted Lines” along with some harmony as well, but this is all counteracted through the tune’s amplified essence. The title track concludes things with a thunderous display of riffs, screams and beats. The energy never lets up from beginning to end, which is what I enjoy the most about The Graniteers’ new record.
The “Shine” EP is currently available on an assortment of streaming services that include Spotify, Apple Music and YouTube. For folks who plan on coming out to The Shaskeen this Saturday night, there will be a special 7″ full color cover vinyl of the EP that they can buy along with a bunch of other merch. The new record is excellent and it’s ideal for anyone who enjoys genuine punk rock. It’s highly recommended to give it a listen, and the same can be said for attending the upcoming extravaganza.
EP Stream: Shine – EP by The Graniteers | Spotify
909 Elm St, Manchester, NH 03101-2003
Dec. 28 Show Tickets: $10 at the door
