When a band names itself after something common, it can be helpful in a familiar catchy sense or a hokey hindrance. But these aren’t your grandma’s Grandchildren. Powered by the beat-driven, orchestral-pop epics of primary songwriter Aleks Martray, the Philadelphia-based groups has seen their profile grow dramatically in 2010. Currently touring the country with bands like Jenny and Johnny, Tim Fite, Seabear and The Coathangers, the outfit is building off the momentum of their delightful LP, Everlasting, which could be the start of big things for the group. Martray had a chance to answer a few of Bestnewbands.com’s questions and without further due:

 

DK: How’s the tour been so far? What has been the crowd’s reaction to the songs?

AM: Tour has been great. I think we all feel really at home on tour, in our element. Getting to play our music for a completely new crowd every night keeps it fresh, especially with a month long tour across the entire country playing cities and venues that range from large to small. It’s always interesting to see how different types of crowds respond to our live show. I think now that the album is released, for many that’s what they’ve heard first. The live show pushes the epic range of the music, from electronic to orchestral, and does justice to the album while adding the theatrical elements of projections and instrument swapping. I think a lot of fans are really surprised about how the music translates live. There are certain moments, like when we bust out the horns in the middle of the set and the mood switches from jovial to cinematic, when the crowd always reacts with excitement. It seems to be the unexpected twists and turns that people across the board really respond to no matter if we’re playing a warehouse or club. Plus, opening night after night for a band like Seabear has exposed us to a new fan base too that has embraced us even though our sounds are pretty different.

 

DK: Having the “Saturn Returns” video on Spinner is huge. Has that helped crowd’s awareness to the track/group?

AM: I think its hard to tell now a days what to attribute a buzz or awareness to. There’s the album, press, videos, touring- you just throw it all out there and see what sticks. But a big part of our identity is our aesthetic- from the music, to our art design, to the video work. “Saturn Returns” is definitely a song that receives an overwhelming response at every show, but its hard to say if that’s because the crowd is already familiar with it as an online single, or whether its just one of the more engaging songs, which is why we chose it as a single in the first place. But I think our sound in general borders between catchy and jarring. I like music where the familiarity of the melodies pulls you in just in time to give you and unexpected turn.

 

DK: Would you say that the way the group was pieced together one-by-one has helped give the band’s sound an eclectic background that may not have happened if it were formed in another way?

AM: It’s hard to think of the band having been formed in any other way. It evolved very organically around a recording project. The album evolved as the band itself evolved, trying to attain a sound larger than life through both acoustic and electronic means. The formation of Grandchildren was just a perfect storm of talent and timing for a bunch of guys that had known each other and collaborated for years. We all needed one focused project, which was eclectic enough to keep us all engaged but focused enough to channel all of our energy on one goal. I think we’re all excited to see what comes next artistically now that we exist as a small orchestra and have developed a chemistry and sound of our own.

 

DK: How did the album come together? What is the writing process like and where was the album recorded?

AM: The core of the album was recorded on one microphone and a laptop at our house in Philadelphia. I had finally settled in Philly after over a year of constant movement across the east coast and Latin America. My nomadic mid 20s sort of culminated in this cathartic recording project as a way to process all the new music, culture and experiences I had been through. I spent most of the next year in my tiny bedroom studio on the third floor of our old Victorian house, which doubled as a DIY music venue known as Danger Danger. The skeleton of the album emerged from this time and place that was as intimate as a tiny bedroom, as eclectic as my travels, and fed off the energy of the live music that is echoed through every room of the house. These demos circulated though the house and each of the six Grandchildren that lived in the house gradually became involved. These home recordings became the backbone off which we recorded more orchestral drum and horn arrangements in various locations across the city, from warehouses to breweries, to find the epic sounds we were looking for. Creating a sense of space and time with in the recording became as important as the music itself.

 

DK: With 2010 almost complete, on a scale of 1-10, how would you rate the year?

AM: With everything that’s happened for us recently it’s hard to quantify all the ups and downs of an entire year. But at this point Id have to give it a 9 (all good, but always leaving some room for improvement). We’re right about where we’ve worked towards being at this point- continuously on tour, playing every night, and ready to start looking towards new songwriting. Those things keep us going. As a band whose always done everything DIY, from recording to touring, we’ve learned a lot this year and formed a lot of partnerships that have helped get our music our to a larger audiences and have allowed us to focus more on what we really enjoy, making the music.

 

DK: What are the band’s goals for 2011?

AM: 2011 looks to be an endless road trip, which is fine with us. Non-stop touring and the occasional rest in Philly where we hope to start some new recording. We’re constantly working on new material and touring is as inspirational as it is grueling. We also have more video projects in the works coming soon.

 

With a successful 2010 and an even busier 2011 on the horizon, expect to hear big things Grandchildren very soon. Here are the remaining tour dates:

 

10/30 – Phoenix, AZ – Trunkspace

11/1 – San Antonio, TX – White Rabbit Back Room

11/2 – Austin, TX – Emos – w/Jenny and Johnny

11/3 – Dallas, TX – The Cavern

11/4 – Oklahoma City, OK – The Conservatory

11/5 – Hot Springs, AR – Low Key Arts

11/6 – Murfreesboro, TN – Pawbowsky’s Dog House

11/7 – Knoxville, TN – The Pilot Light

11/8 – Chapel Hill, NC – Local 506

11/9 – Charlottesville, VA – Twisted Branch Tea Bazaar

11/10 – Baltimore, MD – Ottobar

11/11 – Brooklyn, NY – Glasslands – Tell All Your Friends Showcase

11/12 – New Haven, CT – Cafe Nine – w/The Coathangers