Music
Press
"...some of the most heartfelt, joyful yet understated pop jams this side of Olympia, Washington. " - Flagpole
Grape Soda
Triumphant/Lo-Fi/Pop
Lineup
Mat Lewis, Ryan Lewis.
Influences
Brian Eno, Talking Heads, Stax Records, Arthur Russell.
Although Grape Soda only has a handful of shows under its belt, having formed in October of 2008, the musicians themselves are hardly novices. In addition to the brothers' other band The Buddy System, Ryan Lewis is the co-owner of Kindercore Records and has played in such bands as Kincaid and The Agenda, among others. Says Mat, "Grape Soda started out as a chance to experiment with home recording and play songs that wouldn't otherwise have an outlet." Onstage the duo sets up facing each other, Mat's reverberating organ versus Ryan's hypnotic drumbeat. Echo, distortion and reverb flood the soulful sounds in a way you'd expect to hear on some scratchy rare vinyl find - the results of an underground artist experimenting with both noise and minimalism. Or, as Mat suggests, it "sounds like how you can tell a dog dreams it's running because it moves its paws." Can you dig it?
Drink it up at www.myspace.com/grapesodaforlif - Flagpole
"First up was the auspicious debut of Grape Soda, which is comprised of the brotherly duo of Mat and Ryan Lewis, otherwise known as half of the animation-pop band the Buddy System. The brothers Lewis flip the script here, with Mat Lewis switching out his drum kit for a funky old organ and Ryan opting out of his harmonic position on guitar in favor of a seat behind the drums. Facing each other and engaging in some psychically aligned super-stares, Grape Soda was a good palate cleanser to kick the night off: minimal pop jams, all under a nice lo-fi blanket of delay. Without having to divide his energies between vocals and drums, Mat’s vocal melodies popped out with surprising range and force. If frame of references like this are your vibe, then: Young Marble Giants with Arthur Russell producing. Quieter than Quiet Hooves and a perfect way to ramp up the evening for what was next." - Flagpole
Discography
KINDERCORE PRESENTS: XMAS IV and... Hanukkah! (compilation) - All Walls Fall + Rock of Ages
Photos
Bio
Half brothers Ryan and Mat Lewis have been playing separately and together for most of their lives. Ryan co-founded Kindercore Records in 1996 and has played with Kincaid, The Four Corners, The Sunshine Fix, The Weight, The Buddy System and a dozen others. Mat cut his teeth as a member of the touring punk group the Max Levine Ensemble as well as the Pocket Rockets (Teenbeat Records). Both of the Lewis brothers currently play in the garage punk group The Agenda.
Grape Soda combines the Lewis love of Stax and Motown soul beats with their affinity for hooky psyche pop and spaced out dub sounds. Electronics and echo vocals wash overtop the driving rhythms, punctuated by hooky Farfisa stabs.
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