Grams and Krieger
No You
available on cd baby
It sure looks like something ‘funny’ is happening just out of the sight of the camera, which would not be the least unusual with this duo. They have been together in various bands for umpteen years, and they act almost like brothers that love each other, but will never make it easy on the other. The cover, the title of the disc all reflect that practical joker air of brotherly competitive love, and it is infused in the music on this disc as well. They have fun and enjoy each other’s company and this adds that certain extra ingredient, both in the playing as well as the delivery, to the music. They are strongly supported on this new collection of songs they have written, either as a duo or with each other (all but two have at least one of them as writer) by a rotating cast of very able musicians (a group that knows whose disc they are playing on and they are very a very respectful lot. This disc is rooted in the blues, but covers a variety of styles, leaning slightly toward the countryside in an electrified mode.
You lead off with guitarist Danny Krieger’s voice that has been soaked in a whiskey and too many cigarettes vinaigrette to come to its proper rasp. Upright and electric bass player,Steve Gram’s singing is smoother, and has a more of country edge to it. The two of them more or less trade off as to who gets to be singing lead. There is that cohesiveness that comes when friends that truly admire what the other is creating play together for awhile, you particularly hear it when the voices blend into that seamless voice of two; give a listen to “Hey Paulina.”