Greye’s single “Everything” is a successor to its original version appearing on their second studio release, 2016’s The Worrier. There are scattered examples throughout popular music history over the last three-quarters of a century where musical artists, dissatisfied with a prior release or believing the track deserving of a revamp, pluck plums from their catalog and ask listeners to reacquaint themselves with its taste. It’s usually the providence of much more ballyhooed acts than Daytona, Florida’s Greye, but “Everything” convinced me with a single listen to each track that it was well worth revisiting.
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The song’s slow build from a country-ish opening into a full-throated near-anthem will pull many listeners in. There’s a lot of blues in the song’s sound, not a slaughterhouse bucket of whiskey roadhouse sound but, instead, a soulful and soaring emotiveness lifting every facet of this track. I enjoy the clarity of the recording; Hannah Summer’s voice has the intimacy of a whisper during some lines, breathy and near your ear, while other lines reverberate with declarative force.
The electric and acoustic guitar strands present in the arrangement are other important components in the song’s success. Jett Wolfe’s guitar playing and songwriting alike come together to weave a lively and evolving tapestry I felt entangled with from the beginning. You have near immediate confidence in what the band’s doing. They’ve been around for a while now, their next full-length album So Far So Good will soon be appearing, and there’s little doubt in my mind they are approaching the peak of their powers.
Drummer Ray Grimard leads a dynamic rhythm section attack that provides an impervious foundation for “Everything”. Greye is aware of the power juxtaposition can wield over songs, as the inclusion of often romping piano gives the song a melodic counterpoint to Grimard’s authoritative playing. There is a vibrant mix of instrumental voices merging together to give “Everything” an impressive and fully realized sound.
Hannah Summer is a particular standout for me. Her diverse pipes can embody various emotions for listeners rather than relying on her soulful bray alone to get by. It’s impressive to hear the peaks and valleys she explores during this song and there’s never any questioning her absolute commitment to each line. Her voice compliments the musical arrangement and vice versa; there’s seamlessness present in the song’s overall presentation.
Greye has the necessary musical firepower, melodic presence, and songwriting acumen to carry their music even further than that. I get the feeling, even after multiple albums, that we’ve scratched the surface of their capabilities. “Everything” illustrates many things but their stunning capacity for re-invention separates them from the pack in a crowded and talented field. I expect their future releases will either match or far surpass what they’ve accomplished here. Following a band on their journey is an underrated experience for music listeners. We don’t often pay enough attention to how the personal journey of a songwriter or group of musicians intersects with our own. “Everything” may be an unexpected twist in the road, but a song such as this exemplifies how engaged this band is with their music.
Chadwick Easton