Album Review: The Grip Weeds – Inner Grooves
Longtime fans of The Who may agree that despite its piecemeal nature, Odds and Sods ranks among their best efforts. Freed from the constraints of a unifying thematic approach, that album instead collected a bunch of excellent songs that hadn’t gotten the attention they deserved upon original release.
And that’s the approach employed by The Grip Weeds on this new collection of eleven tracks. All the trademark Grip Weeds elements are in place throughout this record (subtitled “Rare and Under-released Tracks”). You’ll find soaring close vocal harmonies, shimmering, power-corded guitar riffage, and kinetic drum work. Right out of the gate, the band delivers “Rainy Day #1 and #2, as much a pop classic as they’ve ever done. And the full version of the exploratory “Sun Ra Ga” mentioned in this 2011 interview with the band’s Kurt Reil finally makes a CD appearance. The unplugged-style “Every Minute” proves yet again that The Grip Weeds are served equally well when dialing down the intensity as when rocking out. That’s also true on the alternate version of “Love’s Lost On You,” but Grip Weeds fans will need both versions (the other’s on 2001’s Summer of a Thousand Years).
Note: Due to an unusually full schedule last week and this week – you wouldn’t believe me if I told you – my posts will be a bit shorter than typical. Once the dust settles, my normal wordy posting will recommence.
Follow “the_musoscribe” on 
Twitter and get notified
when new features, reviews and essays are published.
About the Author
Bill Kopp
With a background in marketing and advertising, Bill Kopp got his professional start writing for Trouser Press. After a stint as Editor-in-chief for a national music magazine, Bill launched Musoscribe in 2009, and has published new content every business day since then (and every single day since 2018). The 4500-plus interviews, essays, and reviews on Musoscribe reflect Bill's keen interest in American musical forms, most notably rock, jazz, and soul. His work features a special emphasis on reissues and vinyl. Bill's work also appears in many other outlets both online and in print. He regularly hosts lecture/discussions on artists and albums of historical importance (including monthly events Music to Your Ears and Music Movie Mondays), and is a frequent guest on music-focused radio programs and podcasts. In Spring 2023 he taught a history of Rock 'n' Roll at UNC Asheville's College for Seniors. He also researches and authors liner notes for album reissues -- more than 30 to date -- and co-produced a reissue of jazz legend Julian "Cannonball" Adderley's final album. His first book, Reinventing Pink Floyd: From Syd Barrett to The Dark Side of the Moon was published by Rowman & Littlefield in 2018, and in paperback in 2019. His second book, Disturbing the Peace: 415 Records and the Rise of New Wave, was published in 2021 by HoZac Books. His third book, What's the Big Idea: Great Concept Albums will be published in 2024. Read even more about him here.