Gripin (Sony BMG/GRGDN)

Timea

Founded in the late 90s in Istanbul. One of the best rock/alternative bands of Turkey.

More info about the band at wikipedia.

Myspace with songs to listen to: http://www.myspace.com/gripinband

And a critics:

Painkiller without prescription: Gripin

Gripin was named after a well-known medicine in Turkey, and well, if you listen to them, it really seems like you have found the eternal medicine for all of your pains. Heart-smothering vocal, electric rock mingled with some arabesk, catchy guitar riffs and some melancholic piano... Everything a good psychiatrist might need.

Those who are fed up with mainstream American music and are longing to know something different like to browse sites where you can get to know the music of other cultures; I think of YouTube or myspace now. I must admit, I also belong to this category. Moreover, I'm quite lucky because one of my friends works in the Turkish music industry so I'm able to put a hand on cds I would not be able to get otherwise.That's how I got Gripin, as well. The band was founded in the late 90s and their first album came out in 2004, published by a small daring company. The album entitled 'Hikayeler Anlatıldı' (Stories are told) has recently been followed by a self-titled album (now with a Sony BMG sticker) that immediately found its place on the toplists. It's been out no longer then three weeks and the first single is in top ten almost everywhere. Quite an unusual thing in a country where pop has a commanding cult. What's their secret, then?


I must admit, ever since I got the album, I'm unable to force it out of my player. Just won't come out. The first thing that will catch you immediately is the voice of the singer. He could have become an excellent psychiatrist; as if his voice reaches the very bottom of your soul and touches there something that makes you feel like crying. And if you happen to speak Turkish, it strikes you with a tripled force. The other secret of the album is the sound. Basically rock, with the usual guitars, bass and drums, mingled with arabesk and electronics, spiced with some piano. The topic is universal: pain, hopelessness, meditation on the faults of the past and the uncoming future. The vocal's characteristic tone ranges from being unbearably heart-smothering, through anger to hopeless loss. The album features three duets with young Turkish talents. Together with the singer of maNga, who played at last year's Sziget Festival, they produced a song that would probably invoke some response in Turkey, about the American foreign policy in Iraq. Let me quote a few lines:

The day comes it's gonna be forgotten, no Beyrut or Basra remains
but history will remember the innocent
If you stop nothing will change
If you remain silent you're gonna be the next (...)
Don't ever step on my hills with your painted shoes.

The first video was shot for Böyle kahpedir dünya (The world is such a whore), the title of which is most interesting and the video was made in accordance with it. The television channels air a slightly different version, I guess some of them wouldn't want to director's cut believing it would not fit the style of the majority of the audience. The other songs of the album catch attention as well, out of the ten songs there is only one or two I would label as 'average', the rest are pretty much of a hit!

If you are curious you can visit the Myspace of the band and listen to some of the songs, a recommended painkiller without prescription!

Teemeah