There are many road blocks that come into a musician’s career. Some are larger than others and artists with a true passion for their craft will push through no matter what to achieve their goal. Unfortunately on the flip side of the coin there are so many bands that get so close but let little distractions take them off course and let their dreams slip away. We met an artist recently that had a life changing event that could get anyone to quit. Mike Cretella used his distraction to motivate him to write music that matters not only to him, but to the many fans that are relating the songs of his alter ego The Grenaders.
The Grenaders started in 2005 as an outlet for singer/songwriter Mike Cretella to release his own brand of fun yet emotional music. Some comparisons could be the music of Death Cab For Cutie or Built To Spill. Mike has long retained a strong DIY ethic and a passion for writing and arranging music the way he wants it, not being influenced by anyone else. He was diagnosed with cancer and did not let it slow him down. Instead he used this horrible news as an inspiration to dig deep and put out his best music yet.
The latest album by The Grenaders is Between You And Summer. It is a record that goes in many different directions and shows the range of Mike Cretella. It opens with ‘Hello’, a song that could be from one of Ben Gibbard’s earlier projects, The Postal Service. Creative lyrics with a simple keyboard line that keeps the song mellow and enjoyable. The next track is the 70’s punk influenced ‘Tomorrow’. Mike shows right away that the listener is in for quite an interesting ride and keeps them wondering what the next song could be. The lead song from the album seems to be ‘Streets In My Head’. It is a quality song that brings thoughts of a mix between They Might Be Giants and The Beatles. It is a poppy song that is memorable long after it is over.
Bottom Line: The Grenader’s Between You And Summer is a fun listen that really shows the versatility of what one man with passion can create. Go give it a listen for yourself at: