Steve Grantley & The Zed Hedz – Poison Ivy Where Did You Go? EP

“Poison Ivy Where Did You Go?” is a new extended play release by Steve Grantley & The Zed Hedz. You probably know Grantley as a drummer of Stiff Little Fingers, but he also performed with some other renowned names such as Billy Duffy (The Cult), Glen Matlock (Sex Pistols), Kirk Brandon (Theatre of Hate/Spear of Destiny), Craig Adams (The Mission, Sisters Of Mercy), Julian Lennon and soul singer Oleta Adams. After releasing a couple of records with his band RT-Zed, Grantley renamed his band to Steve Grantley & The Zed Hedz. The current line-up includes him on drums and vocals, John Magner on guitar, and Jamie Alleyne on bass. “Poison Ivy Where Did You Go? is their ode to Poison Ivy, a famous rockabilly/punk rock icon and a guitar player for the legendary The Cramps. Soundwise, Steve Grantley & The Zed Hedz primarily focus on classic punk rock, but you’ll notice some other complementary music genres along the way, such as rockabilly, rock ‘n’ roll, and alternative. All these styles combined resulted in a marvelous collection of songs that will satisfy even the pickiest listeners.

“Poison Ivy Where Did You Go?” commences with “Where Did You Go,” an excellent overture into this material. Steve Grantley and the band deliver a proper rock ‘n’ roll number where all the instrumentations shine in the limelight. You’ll be blown away by Grantley’s well-accentuated beats, breaks, fills, and other percussive acrobatics, while the equally complex, vividly hearable, warm-sounding basslines provide heaviness, depth, and clarity. The subtle servings of flanger effect decorate catchy chord progressions and riffs, which serve as a perfect backdrop for Grantley’s powerful vocal performance. The band speeds things up a little bit with “My Bombshell Baby From The USA,” and you’ll notice how they introduced more punk rock and rockabilly besides classic rock ‘n’ roll sound. Steve Grantley & The Zed Hedz were unquestionably inspired by the fifties and sixties sound while writing, composing, and recording this particular composition because they incorporated all the main qualities from scratch to finish. It’s one of those songs that immediately grabs your attention and forces you to dance.

“Rock ‘N’ Roll Fever” is another danceable song, but in a more moderate tempo. You’ll hear how Steve Grantley and the band incorporated subtle touches of surf rock without even decorating guitars with reverb effects. Of course, they thought about even the tiniest details while assembling this number, so you’ll notice how chord progressions perfectly decorate every moment, while the rhythm section provides more than necessary groove and pace. Steve Grantley once again steals the show here, and you’ll particularly notice how catchy this song is during the memorable choruses. “The Queen Of Rock ‘N’ Roll” signifies the closure of this magnificent extended play release with its half-time beats, abrasive rock ‘n’ roll riffs, and punchy low-end notes. The delicate additions of vibrato, rotary, and flanger contribute to the interesting ambiance of the song, while the warm-sounding basslines serve as a binding element that sticks to the bass pedal and offers a massive sound that slaps you directly in the face. Grantley’s soulful vocal performance shapes the melodic side of this song, offering a bit more complexity that the majority of rock ‘n’ roll songs lack these days.

“Poison Ivy Where Did You Go?” is a magnificent display of how rock ‘n’ roll can still sound fresh and unique. Steve Grantley & The Zed Hedz revitalized the genre with soulful vocal articulations, generous servings of guitar effects, catchy riffs and chord progressions, massive basslines, and exceptional drumming. It has been a long time since rock ‘n’ roll sounded this good, and you should put “Poison Ivy Where Did You Go?” on your radar as soon as possible. The EP is available on all streaming platforms.