Last October, I interviewed local music legend Benny Fiacco of Music City. I asked him if there were any music acts locally that stood out to him in a big way. And one of the music acts he replied with was Grown Ups, the only act he mentioned that I wasn’t familiar with at the time. This is a guy whose opinion has serious weight in my book. So if Benny Fiacco tells you to check out a band, you check out that band. And it should surprise no one to learn that yes, Benny was spot on. Grown Ups are absolutely phenomenal.
Grown Ups deliver an indie rock sound pulsing with raw vintage energy. There’s are strong vibes here that remind me of two of my personal favorite bands out of Toronto, Broken Social Scene and Sloan, with a fullness to their sound that harkens back to The Band, and a certain edginess that at times runs parallel to Dismemberment Plan. Oh, and there’s a big, hearty dash of Monophonics in there too, thanks in large part to Grown Ups featuring an exceptional horn section. They’re a band you really just can’t help but deep-dive.
Oliver Kammerman has a proper indie rock voice that I liken to a cross between Travis Morrison and Jeff Rosenstock. And then Alyssa Crosby comes out of nowhere on their second LP and their upcoming collaborative EP (read our full review here) with heaps of range and astonishing presence. It all comes together to produce a big, robust, textured sound that’s modern, stand-out original, and instantly entertaining.
Background
Formed in 2020, Grown Ups have released two albums, Nightlight (2021) and Great Big Lies (2022). They’ve performed at Binghamton Porchfest, and set up a small music festival of their own last summer, The Lost Dog Summer Cool Down. Grown Ups have their first EP with Alyssa Crosby, Love So Bad, slated for release March 29th. Their third LP, Together, For a Moment is due for release shortly thereafter on May 10th 2024.
Grown Ups are fronted by Oliver Kammerman, who also plays rhythm guitar. And they somewhat regularly collaborate with Alyssa Crosby, another vocalist and songwriter. Crosby also performs with WildCard, and recently made headlines as a contestant on NBC’s The Voice. With Kammerman up front, this is a powerhouse indie band. But when Crosby assumes lead vocals, their whole dynamic shifts and they transform into a mind-blowing funk group. And changing a band’s entire sound in the blink of an eye is no small feat.
Multi-instrumentalist Kit Kolpakas served as a key songwriter and vocalist on the band’s first two albums, playing keys, guitar, and bass. Chris James (Making Strangers) assumes lead guitar duties. The always entertaining Reeve Longcoy (Tom Jolu) plays bass. Ty Whitbeck (Lutheran Skirts) skillfully plays auxiliary percussion, alongside the wildly talented Michael Micha (Archemist) of Abandoned Studios fame on drums. Tim O’Brien (trumpet) and Justin Miller (trombone) also perform with Tom Jolu and Oarlock, with Dave Pond on saxophone. Ty McHugh is temporarily playing keys, with Devin Thai possibly rejoining the band this summer.
Learn more about Grown Ups
If you read these artist profiles regularly, you’re likely sick to death of me saying this, but I’m saying it again: the Binghamton music scene is built on creativity. On chuckling at the walls of any one genre while you overload them with dynamite and slap the plunger down like a cartoon coyote. The definitive Binghamton sound isn’t really a sound at all. It’s an idea. And it’s one Grown Ups colorfully bring to life with a distinct sound you truly can’t label with a single genre.
We’re stoked to review Grown Ups’ upcoming third LP as soon as it’s in our hands. In the meantime, be sure to check them out and follow them all over the place online:
Grown Ups are an unsigned, self-represented band. Please contact them at grownups607@gmail.com for bookings and press/ media inquiries.
5 Replies to “Artist Profile: Grown Ups”
Comments are closed.