Polysemic is the perfect adjective to describe The Grand Wake, a band who refuse to be limited by a specific sound or genre. Their music transitions seamlessly from a garage rock workouts to danceable pop. With influences ranging from The Walkmen to Roy Orbison, the quartet compromising of John, Neil, Ciaran and Kevin aren’t afraid of taking risks. Their debut self-produced EP Silent Screen is testament to that. “Producing the EP ourselves gave us the time to relax, and allowed for flexibility and that sense of autonomy,” vocalist John explains. “It was a trade-off essentially. You can have a really polished sound in a professional studio, but you might not be getting the most honest or best performance that you can give.”

The result speaks volumes. Tracks like ‘Suffragette’ and ‘Ordinary’ are infused with ’50s flourishes, and their percussion-soaked motifs are guaranteed to induce some serious head-bopping. With Silent Screen due for release in May, the lads are not letting the pressure get to them.

“A lot of bands fall into the trap of putting all their energy into one big thing,” says John. “They think, ‘This will make all the difference!’ But you realise it’s not like that. Just because your EP is out in May doesn’t mean that in a year’s time no one is going to listen to it. We’re in this for the long haul.”
The Grand Wake have travelled the country and won over audiences with their raw authenticity. Now it’s all about the run-up to their Whelan’s date.

“Lately, we’ve been focusing on the release of the EP,” notes John, “so our next big one is Whelan’s on the 16th of April. That’s our first Whelan’s headliner, if you like!”

If the teasers from Silent Screen are anything to go by, this headlining gig certainly won’t be their last.

See: The Grand Wake play Whelan’s on April 16.
Hear: Various singles on soundcloud.com/thegrandwake