Seattle-based Rhymesayers act Grieves, along with production and collaboration mate Budo, bring an indie hip-hop style that emulates the signature sound of the label, reminiscent of Atmosphere and Brother Ali, from the lyrical prose to the production talent presented on this year’s Together / Apart.
Grieves demonstrates a level of bregadociousness that is a mainstay of the current landscape of indie hip-hop, and at times an unexpected sensitivity that impresses and draws you in with a cloak of solid beats and artistic samples.
Taking the first track “Light Speed,” the young Grieves is already reflecting back at his even younger days with bittersweet reflection, when the biggest decision of the day was “Pogs or Tamagotchi?” (whilst living Colorado, a ‘dad’s got a new job so we’re moving’ scenario) and time didn’t fly by as it does when you hit adulthood.
For fans of Mr. Ali, his presence is known on “Tragic” without having to look at the liner notes, a song that isn’t meant to brighten your day but still inspires, “I can spin bad news like a symphony.” The double entendre of “On The Rocks” swims in self-deprecation and Rye infused defiance.
Grieves and Budo is on this headling tour (the first since 2009) with the support of Prof, whom the two met last year at SXSW, and another Minneapolis rapper, MC Type, who will be playing tracks off his new album, WUF TIX. Budo indicates that MC Type will “probably be saying a lot of things that will make you uncomfortable, maybe upset, maybe a little bit angry, and also hopefully make you laugh.”
Grieves adds, ”Hopefully make you a better person because you have to go through s#$! to get to the ‘candy.’” Which takes us back to the essence of the Together / Apart album and why this troupe is touring together, we as humans don’t seem to learn the easy way or even by other’s tragedies, only by the times we stumble, fall, hurt ourselves, and then pick up once again to as Grieves said, to be better.
The Together / Apart Tour rolls into Colorado for three dates this week, and continues through these United States through the end of October.
10/5 – Denver, CO – Marquis Theatre
10/6 – Ft. Collins, CO – Aggie Theatre
10/7 – Durango, CO – The Abbey Theatre
10/11 – Jackson, WY – Q Roadhouse
10/12 – Billings, MT – Manny’s
10/13 – Missoula, MT – Top Hat
10/14 – Boise, ID – The Reef
10/15 – Salt Lake City, UT – Kilby Court
10/17 – Albuquerque, NM – Launchpad
10/18 – Tucson, AZ – Club Congress
10/19 – Scottsdale, AZ – Chaser’s
10/20 – West Hollywood, CA – The Troubadour
10/21 – Las Vegas, NV – Copa Room
10/22 – Santa Barbara, CA – Velvet Jones
10/23 – San Luis Obispo, CA – SLO Brewing Company
10/24 – Santa Cruz, CA – The Catalyst Atrium
10/25 – San Francisco, CA – Bottom of the Hill
10/26 – Sparks, NV – The Alley
10/28 – Bellingham, WA – Wild Buffalo House of Music
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