Can an artist transform their sound completely and still create entertaining music? Daniel McBurnie and Graham Gomez certainly have done this.
McBurnie and Gomez are former members of Surrey indie-folk band Good for Grapes. Their past shows drew energetic crowds who stomped, clapped, and sang along.
Recently, the duo finally answered a long-awaited question from their loyal fans: Will you ever release new music?
Adopting the band name Groove Saloon, the duo recently answered that question when they released their new single If I Don’t Make It. The song captures the uncomfortable reality of a romantic breakup, something most people will, unfortunately, relate to.
“To everyone else, we were these folk guys, but I think we fancied ourselves a little more modern and boundary-pushing,” McBurnie and Gomez said. “It’s nice to finally showcase ideas that have been running through our heads for years.”
Angsty lyrics hide well behind light-tone music that will make even the most heartbroken people nod to the beat—sounds described by the artists as a marriage between Tame Impala and the Backstreet Boys.
True to its words, the music by Groove Saloon so far can be as delightful as it can be disgruntled.
“This project has always been about having fun without imposing any limitations on ourselves. We’ve allowed ourselves to be much more playful than ever before,” McBurnie and Gomez said. “Our hope is that it will translate into audiences experiencing that same feeling of playfulness.”
While the words may invoke feelings of tragedy at times, the mellow yet somehow upbeat melody creates a balance that keeps it in line with an Indie vibe. The song, which lasts nearly six minutes, goes by fast, with guitar and bass solos.
Groove Saloon created the track using a single SM58 microphone in a dimly lit bedroom, giving If I Don’t Make It a unique character all its own. The track blends elements of psych-pop, hip-hop, and rock into an intoxicating cosmic gumbo.
“Our recording and filmmaking process was hilariously DIY,” McBurnie and Gomez said.
The music video, which was said to be made with shockingly few resources, has the perfect amount of colourful and frankly strange elements that will transport you into the indie and psychedelic universe in which this song was created.
With all the dancing, light changes and shots taken for the video, no one could guess it was all made with wax paper, cardboard light boxes and a newly upgraded smartphone.
This song marks a shift for the songwriting duo in sound and process. As part of Good for Grapes, McBurnie and Gomez previously worked in studios like Vancouver’s iconic “Warehouse” with producers Mike Fraser (AC/DC, Aerosmith, Franz Ferdinand) and Howard Redekopp (Mother Mother, Tegan and Sara).
There is still much on the horizon for Groove Saloon after their first release. “We have been actively writing and producing material with this new Groove Saloon sound for almost two years and have a steady stream of releases planned for the next year,” McBurnie and Gomez said.
Their journey begins here.
If I Don’t Make It is available on all streaming services, including iTunes and Bandcamp, or by clicking here.