Grade 2 – Graveyard Island: Acoustic Sessions 12″ EP (Pirates Press Records)

Kind people of Pirates Press sent us some new releases for review, and I have to admit I awaited this one with anticipation. I was especially interested in hearing Grade 2 performing acoustic versions of these songs, and they nailed in my book. For those who’re not familiar with this group, Grade 2 is a British street punk trio based on the Isle of Wight. The band formed in 2013 and in such a short period released an impressive amount of recordings. Since its inception, the band unleashed three albums like Mainstream View, Break The Routine, and Graveyard Island. There are also a couple of extended plays, such as Heard It All Before, Weekend Offender, Only Ones I Trust, and a Graveyard Island: Acoustic Sessions, which I would like to talk about a little bit more today.

After hearing these acoustic sessions, I firmly believe that the streetpunk community needs more acoustic albums because these sessions sound incredible. Grade 2 performed songs like Only Ones I Trust, Tired Of It, Don’t Look Back, Murder Town, Bowling Green Lane, and Look Up. Each of these compositions appeared on their latest full-length, Graveyard Island, except Only Ones I Trust, which comes from the EP of the same name. Graveyard Islands: Acoustic Sessions is one of the best acoustic punk rock performances I had the chance to hear so far. The band paid a lot of attention to everything. No matter if we’re talking about the actual performance, arrangements, sound quality, or production of these acoustic sessions, Grade 2 pulled off this project thinking about every aspect of it. You’ll notice how the band flawlessly performed all the chord progressions, melodies, harmonies, themes, and basslines. There are also some additional instruments like banjo or tambourine included that are enhancing these tunes on an entirely new level.

These acoustic sessions will also be up your alley if your like streetpunk and classic punk rock visual aesthetics. The visual identity of Graveyard Island: Acoustic Sessions is nearly mindblowing. The entire cover artwork mimics the Graveyard Island LP but with a more classic British punk rock visual appearance than the original cover artwork. The yellow transparent vinyl with red, cyan and black splatter perfectly pairs the remainder of the design. The entire release unquestionably looks eye-peeling. There’s also a blood-red variant that looks amazing as well, so you can choose between these two or grab both versions if you’re a die-hard fan of the band. Head over to Pirates Press Records for more information about ordering.