DREW GROW &
In a little cabin in the deep and quiet woods of Scappoose, Oregon, Drew Grow began his redemption.
There, alone with little more than his guitar, a bottle of whisky, and the sound of his own voice to keep him company, Drew unraveled himself. Drawing inspiration from his life, his loves, his travels and his various past musical projects, he wrote the music that was in his heart; the music that was simply his. Abandoning the lingo, the rhetoric and the expected philosophy, it was as intimate as it was honest. This was a new beginning.
More than two years would pass before Drew entered the studio and began hammering out his first solo record. Enlisting the help of friends and fellow musicians, Next Lips was completed. His self-engineered debut is as dirty as it is pretty, with stunning and sweeping combinations of grit and melody. All of his former bands, his former songs, all of his life experience, were finally added together. While nothing sounds reminiscent, everything feels familiar. Each song leads into the next, blending harmonies, tambourines, and the general clamor of a few boys and girls in a basement in Portland, Oregon. You can feel the Northwest dripping from every guitar strum; you can smell the Stumptown coffee pouring from their lips; and you can feel the spirit that runs through Portland to the last note.
While the makings were haphazard, the result was stunning: Next Lips is a triumph; an album that tells the tales of one man while capturing the feeling of an entire culture.
And Next Lips is only the beginning. Drew Grow & The Pastors Wives (as the whole gang refer to themselves) have started a movement towards a true and vibrant musical community in Portland. At the CD release show for Next Lips (at the Wonder Ballroom in N Portland), Drew invited local musicians and bands to come alongside him. They played on his songs and he played on theirs, and a new musical community was formed. The movement started has not since waned as Drew continues to collaborate alongside some of Portland's great artists. Since his album debut,
Drew Grow & The Pastor's Wives have been on numerous tours, released a 2-song, limited edition EP, One, and a split EP Sow to Sow with NAT'L artist Katrina Skalland.
When asked about his musical stylings, Drew simply quips "Either we should be opening for The Kills or Damien Rice. Either would work, but neither one is quite right." And it's true; Drew's style is somewhat of a musical conundrum - bridging genres and sounds. You can't wrap this neatly in a box; and Drew is ok with that. He's already begun work on the next recording project and he has grandiose plans in store.
Drew Grow is currently in the studio and will frequently be releasing singles (each with a b-side) - promising to seek uncharted territory beyond what began with Next Lips. These upcoming recordings expect the addition of a choir and an orchestra to the dingy unhinged live playing of the Pastors' Wives.
With Next Lips, Drew Grow finally found his redemption. With his upcoming releases, Drew hopes that you will find a little redemption of your own. So listen up, and listen well, Drew Grow and his Pastors Wives are here to save you. .
the pastors’ wives