LA’s Grand Canyon’s music pierces through the confusion of today’s world while holding true to the influences that have created some of the most iconic songs of all time. Fronted by singer/songwriter/guitarist Casey Shea and vocalist Amy Wilcox, the six-piece ensemble seamlessly draws from such classic influences as Pink Floyd, Buffalo Springfield, Bruce Springsteen, Tom Petty, and Fleetwood Mac to create a modern take on classic rock. 2018’s critically acclaimed LP Le Grand Cañonwas was highly praised by the press and if that record was their ode to the 70s, their new EP Yesterday’s News interprets the sounds of the Reagan 80s with the same socially heightened framework of that era’s 24-hour cable news cycle, only now the lens is social media. The songwriting of Shea and guitarist Joe Guese, emerges just as potent and relevant as ever.
“This music is definitely a darker sound. Maybe it has something to do with the political climate of the world, I don’t know,” considers Shea. These songs, among the dozens that the band has written, were created in late 2016 through 2017, and the sonic shift from their previous work can clearly be heard. Producer Jamie Candiloro (REM, Willie Nelson) broke in his home studio with “High Time,” a straight-down-the-middle rock emission with a Mark Knopfler-crafted vocal. “We wanted it to be a bit more of a rock-centered thing over the previous music, which was more country-rock. We were wanting to err on the side of rock ‘n roll,” says Shea.
Glide is proud to premiere “High Time” a dagger of contagious classic rock stew mixed with a dirty whirl of blues and guitar heroics. While certain bands have earned revivalists titles almost unearned applaud, Grand Canyon fits the bill for early 80’s jukebox heroes with this candid and supercharged guitar rock presentation.
The members of Grand Canyon, which include Jon Cornell (bass), Darice Bailey (keys/vocals), and Matt Bogdanow (drums), in addition to the already mentioned Shea, Wilcox and Guese, have collectively sold millions of records, toured the world in their own bands and as sidemen, appeared on countless daytime and late night shows, and had songs that set the scene in numerous television shows and movies. They have graced the stage with everyone from indie folk hero Daniel Johnston to Thai pop sensation Palmy to Celine Dion, played in the SNL house band, and recorded with everyone from Rod Stewart to Linda Perry. They have worked in the studio with Mike Deneen, Brendan Benson, Jamie Candiloro, Dave Schiffman, Steve Albini and more.
