It's great to find a band that's really unique. Great playing (these are first rate musicians)wonderful songs and after just a few listens you'll be humming some of these tunes all day long- very catchy and in a good way!
Beautiful music- outstanding tracks are "Love", "Via Katalin", "Little Do They Know", "Goin Down", and "Heads Above Water" but I like the entire CD as a whole. 
Hope they release their debut CD up for sale on CD Baby too.
I got mine at a show- The Grams are fantastic LIVE! Ask for them to come to your town!! They even do House Concerts because they can play acoustic or electric.
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The Grams serve up yet another helping of catchy, smart acoustic rock on their new disc Love Factory. Driven by upbeat rhythms, appealing melodies, and interesting lyrics, this album is instantly likeable and becomes even more so with repeated spins. Frontman, guitarist, and principal songwriter Chuck Schiele has an interesting voice that is sometimes reminiscent of Peter Gabriel or Roger McGuinn. It's a warm, textured instrument that is very much at home in the various stylistic genres the band explores on this album.

A song simply titled "Love" sets the tone for this disc with its wall of acoustic guitars and violin licks. Schiele sings its slightly silly lyrics with conviction, taking point as the Grams work their way through its numerous musical changes. "Little Do They Know" is a spirited romp through country-rock territory that tells a tale of self-deception as it bumps along. One of my favorite tracks is the Craig Yerkes-penned instrumental "Via Katalin" that prominently showcases a tasty unison guitar and violin melody over an interesting 7/8 world-beat rhythm.

Also of note is "Goin' Down," a psychedelic-flavored jam that fools you into thinking it's going to be an instrumental until about two-thirds of the way in when the vocals kick in. "Heads Above Water" is a charming Byrds-style tune with a lot of lyrical references to local music icons like Cindy Lee Berryhill, Jeff Berkley, and Michael Tiernan. Scoring a coup of epic proportions, the Grams got the latter two to sing backup on this song (the roster of guest musicians on this album is a veritable who's who of San Diego talent). The Grams' classic rock, world beat, folk, and country influences are joined by some blues ("Big Dangerous," "Perfume") and old-time rock'n'roll ("Cinderella"), resulting in a varied, original, and satisfying sound.

The arrangements are deep and complex, comprised as they are of multiple layers of guitars, vocals, and percussion. There's a lot going on, but it's all designed to drive the songs forward. The overall sound is well-balanced and immaculate. All of the parts are mixed and panned to maximize their musical impact. They can each be heard distinctly, yet they also work as parts of a greater whole. Often leading the charge is Sweet Elise Ohki's tastefully nimble violin leads. Whether she's playing single lines or multi-tracked orchestrations, her contributions perfectly complement the tunes without ever overpowering them. She takes charge when the occasion calls for it but also holds back where necessary. As with every element of Love Factory, it's apparent that much thought went into finding her place in the Grams' sound. The guitarists have ample opportunity to solo too. Electric and acoustic leads punctuate many of the songs to great effect. Schiele, Yerkes, and Ohki are fantastic musicians who clearly relish the chance to strut their stuff in this collection of great tunes. This will surely be considered a major release in the San Diego music scene this year.

Grab a fresh copy hot off the press at the Grams' CD release, April 16, at Anthology. More details are at www.thegrams.net.
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