Brad Marino – Grin & Bear It

Brad Marino first came to my attention as a member of The Connection along with fellow popster Geoff Palmer. A four piece outfit that tastefully blended past sounds such as The Ramones and Rockpile, their first couple of records were a refreshing change from the norm. Then, along came The New Tracaderos. In this iteration, the talents of Kurt Baker were introduced to the mix. Marino taps both of these very talented guys on his new, solo effort entitled Grin & Bear It. The results are quite enjoyable.

Adrenaline Soaked Power Pop

The title track gets things off to a rockin’ start. A surprisingly diverse selection follows with highlights, plentiful. The slide guitar intro on “Up and Up” brings us to a very catchy melody. The Beatle-esque “Hung Up” is a lovely piece of British Invasion style pop while “Looking Then” is a humorous piece of adrenaline soaked, Nerves-like power pop.

Kurt Baker shows up on “I’m Broke”, as rockin’ a track as you’ll likely hear this year. That said, it’s the infectious “Lucy” that gets the nod here. Great harmonies, killer keyboards and an unforgettable chorus make this one truly special.

Get Brad Marino’s Grin & Bear It

Mixed by Mike Kennerty of Screeching Weasel, Sioux Guitars is handling the vinyl release while Rum Bar Records will take care of the CD release. For fans of The Connection, Geoff Palmer, Kurt Baker, The Ramones and Rockpile. Get the CD HERE. Get the vinyl HERE.