Grindig

What I remember of the '80s is generally soulless Casio pop and dangerously big hair. Grindig reminds me that there was some happy, sunny, fun stuff out of that decade. Even if they don't evoke this echo consciously, this groovy Toronto quintet brings back the English Beat's danceable rhythms in "Dying All Over the Place." That's not to say that this is a retro act, far from it. Grindig's self-titled debut is thoroughly up to date, but there's something timeless about good pop that's well played. Grindig is Derek Dowham (guitar, vocals), Jeffrey Low (guitar), Henry McKeown (bass, vocals), Kevin Komatsu (drums, vocals) and Roman Tomé (percussion, vocals). Lyrically smart and catchy, the boys can catch you off guard - while you're bopping around the room, you trip over the introspection and are forced to think for a moment. Grindig is definitely a tight studio record that promises a funky, fun live show. Keep your eyes and ears open!