Nana Grizol - 'Love It Love It'

Athens band Nana Grizol has been getting attention here for about a year, and a large amount of that time was spent wondering when their record would drop. It finally came May 13 on Orange Twin.

Thankfully, Love It Love It satisfies. Theo Hilton and crew have given us a rousing, energetic, and enjoyable debut. Much of the material is upbeat but not frenetic, polished but not pretentious. The album features a fleshed out band and fuller sound than their earlier demos would suggest. Horns and percussion complement the guitar/bass/drums, and it's obvious that Hilton is a skilled pop songwriter.

Nana Grizol - Circles 'Round the Moon
Nana Grizol - Voices Echo Down thee Halls [courtesy SXSW]

It would still be reasonable to describe their aesthetic as sort of punk-meets-Neutral Milk, but Love It Love It also invokes early Bright Eyes to a surprising degree. I had really never noticed much similarity between Hilton and Oberst, but there are moments (e.g., "Less Than the Air") here when I think the two could be swapped. Overall, it's a damn fine debut and one that I hope gets a lot of attention.

Nana Grizol on tour:

5/22 TBA, Providence, RI
5/24 The Fort, Brooklyn, NY
5/25 Cake Shop, Manhattan, NY
5/26 TBA, Philadelphia, PA
5/27 The Frisby House, Baltimore, MD
5/28 Rumors , Richmond, VA
5/29 The Bobby Fisher Memorial Building, Washington, DC
5/30 Slim’s, Raleigh, NC
5/31 WonderRoots Art Space, Atlanta, GA

Love It Love It is available now.