Grenat Despite the Sound of Sirens cassette
Release number five from Mascara Rocks, the DIY feminist punk label out of Paris. I imagine GRENAT is also Paris- or at least France-based, but there’s not much info on the band, and as far as I can tell, this is their debut EP. Vague semantics aside, the music is a lovely ’90s pop/grunge/garage/slacker (think BREEDERS) throwback, full of angst, like the opening track “20 Years Old.” Songs are catchy, with vocals more on the sweet than melancholic side. They chug along mid-tempo, pretty straightforward, tossing in quiet bass-and-drums sections followed by loud, whole-band energy—the sluggish, lamenting outro on “Pretty” is also a fun surprise. Need a pick-me-up? GRENAT will do the trick.