Good Grief return to showcase their rejuvenated Pacific Spirit on a new EP — premiering exclusively on Tinnitist.
Marking the Vancouver indie-rock outfit’s return after seven long years, the earthy two-song release finds singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Conor Brandt forging a new path into the altered musical landscape of 2020 with the help of a refocused sound. Produced by Ryan Ogg (The Deep Cove) and mixed by Jordan Koop (Orville Peck, War Baby), the Pacific Spirit EP is a refreshing dose of honest, melodic rock, full of lyrics inspired by sombre, insightful themes and the kind of existential questions that keep us up at night.
Born and raised in Vancouver, Conor Brandt has a connection to the Pacific Northwest that defines his outlook on many things. The mountains, ocean, and lush temperate rainforests, not to mention the long, grey, rainy days of winter, can steep a powerful brew of melancholy rawness simmering underneath a beautiful, natural setting. When looking to recharge or find answers, Brandt often wanders the canopy-covered trails of Pacific Spirit Park near UBC (on the unceded Musqueam Territory). Surrounded by giant firs and cedars, one finds an ancient magic and rejuvenating oxygen. A heavy and grounded yet wild and uplifting spirit. A Pacific Spirit.
After an active run of shows and releases from 2009 to 2013, Good Grief essentially disbanded, with other band members stepping aside to work on other projects. Musically, Brandt spent the hiatus focusing on his bass-playing and arrangement duties in Vancouver grunge trio Rampant Lion. The musical moniker for Brandt’s music since his teenage years, Good Grief was rebuilt through the recording process that would ultimately become Pacific Spirit. Running into each other in a BCIT class in 2017, and then playing shows together with Rampant Lion and The Deep Cove, Ogg offered to track a few of Brandt’s latest demos in 2019. “Conor kept reminding me that he was a guitar player and songwriter originally, so I wanted to hear what that sounded like.”
For new songs Laps and Chasing The Blind, Conor performed all the instruments except drums (played by original Good Grief member Shane Wilson) with Ryan tracking it all in his basement studio, Nootka Sound. The songs were then mixed and mastered by Koop at The Noise Floor Studios on Gabriola Island.
Listen to Pacific Spirit via Bandcamp, Apple Music or Spotify, and follow Good Grief on Instagram and Facebook.
