Grieves hits with “Emotional Mix-Tape [- Hide]
The Spectator Online, 2007

On “Irreversible,” the title track off his first full-length album, Seattle MC Grieves raps about watching his grandfather play the piano, dropping the line “Some people paint with their music.” While it is an ode to the ability of his grandfather’s fingers, it could just as aptly describe what Grieves does with his mic.

The 22-year-old has that rare ability to produce lyrics with a visual effect. Whether he’s telling the story of a suicidal teenager or arguing with a phantom female about religion, Grieves puts you in the room by rapping with such honest, raw emotion that you can’t help but feel like he’s confessing to you.

And he just may be. Despite coming from a musical background and playing in punk bands during his teenage years, Grieves seems to have found his musical release in hip-hop.

“I could do [hip-hop] well,” says Grieves. “I found a lot of freedom in it.”

Currently touring in the Midwest with Mac Lethal and Atmosphere, Grieves is lightly known in the Seattle scene. That may be due in part to the fact that he left town for a tour just days after releasing his latest mix-tape, “Irreversible.”

However, that should change once he returns. Grieves posseses the kind of style Seattle fans eat up. He is intelligent, musical, and self-conscious. For the city that loves vulnerability, Grieves could be the poster boy. Without ever having met him, one could know his religious affiliation, the nature of his past relationships and the make up of his childhood after just one listen to “Irreversible.”

“The album is like an emotional mix-tape to me,” says Grieves.

That description seems accurate, but Grieves also opens up to whoever will listen, unleashing a funny side that reflects his early punk influences. On tracks like “Last Call” and “My Girlfriend Beats Me,” Grieves shows that he is quite capable of having a good time.

Grieves is at his best on the cheeky and hilariously clever “Capitol Hill Girls,” which comments on the gender-crossing styles of those in the neighborhood. The beat is like a cocaine-inspired techno/rap mix, with samples from an Irish punk band on the hook.

However, the true treat is listening to Grieves tell stories. His album should best be enjoyed in a quiet room with a cheap bottle of whiskey and a Swisher filled with alternative contents. His musical background shines through his ability to form a cohesive song from start to finish, an art form that seems to hopelessly elude most hip-hop artists.

Part of his ability to make a thoroughly pleasing song lies in the fact that Grieves makes most of his own beats. This way he controls the mood from the start. When he uses his surprising baritone to sing his hooks, you get the feeling he planned on doing so from the first steps of production. Grieves’ production is sharp, but limited, something he claims is intentional.

“The beats I make…I guess it’s symmetry in my music,” says Grieves.

Not surprisingly, Grieves was not always into hip-hop music, and still has a somewhat limited catalog of favorite artists. But what seems like a detriment on the surface could in fact be his greatest asset. While, like any rapper who comes close to being emotional, he will draw comparisons to Atmosphere, Grieves stands to few hip-hop stereotypes. Simply put, he probably sounds like nothing you’re listening to right now.

“There’s just always been so much for me outside of hip-hop,” says Grieves. “I’ve been listening and playing so many different kinds of music since I was a kid.”

His album can drag as it carries along. When he’s not telling stories, Grieves is long on self-reflection of the darkest kind. Remember that cheap bottle of whiskey? This is where it comes in handy, as some of the songs have the same depressing effect as the alcohol.

“Bottom of the Bottle” is his best foray into the dark side, a haunting track where Grieves laments the alcoholism that seems to have surrounded his early life. On a sobering beat, Grieves raps a haunting hook about how the bottle does not get rid of your inner demons. While it’s impressive music, the whiskey moments can be a bit much, making you savor the calming effect of the Swisher side of the album.

Hoping for a good reception when he returns to Seattle, Grieves is a breath of refreshing air for the Seattle hip-hop scene. While others are quick to talk about the effects of their music or how they plan to blow up in the future, Grieves is simply enjoying doing what he does best.

“In five years, hopefully I could still be doing this,” says Grieves. “It’s everyone’s dream to be subsistent on their art.”