How did we get here? How is it that today I find myself introducing to the world a new indie rock band with a delicious citrus fruit in its name? Well, my friends, it was a long and winding journey. But let’s start with the present. The Grapefruit League is an exciting new musical project featuring Portland’s own Jess Abel, Garrett Burt, Shannon Handy, and Dan Lurie (that’s me!).
We’re just beginning to build up our catalog of songs, and there’s a lot of excitement in the practice space. Those of you who know us from our work in Solyoni won’t be surprised to learn that quirky lyrical content remains a key component of the music. I’d say we’re a little more amplified, and we certainly toss in more instrumental passages, at times creating a sound some have graciously compared to the likes of Pel Mel and The Feelies. We’re not ones to focus on a singular style however, so you can still expect us to switch things up quite a bit from tune to tune.
While it’s incredibly refreshing to be launching a new band with my good friends in Portland, I do feel the need to address how this will affect our long-running musical collective, Solyoni. I began Solyoni roughly 11 years ago with my dearest buddy Dominic Aulisio in Athens, Ohio. We’ve been making music together with a laundry list of talented musicians, including members of the newly formed The Grapefruit League, for much of the past decade. I’m extremely proud of the albums we’ve released, and the many many shows we’ve played.
Ever since I moved to Portland a few years ago, I’ve had thoughts in the back of my mind that it was time to start something new. The Solyoni name is so attached to the collaboration between myself and Dominic, and folks like Aaron Semer who contributed so much to our sound over the years, that I can’t imagine making a Solyoni album without them. This is not the end of Solyoni. We’re just setting it aside until Dominic and I come up with an album concept that we can truly work on together, which will most certainly be something worth waiting for. In the meantime, if you never got around to picking up our last album, Kenesaw Mountain Landis, please check it out. We quietly released it last year, and I’m as proud of that album as anything we ever put out.
Now let’s turn the page to something entirely fresh and new: The Grapefruit League. The gang is moving fast and furious. We’ll be recording our debut EP Wind Up Your Action later this spring, and we’re even hitting the stage a couple times in April. You can see us play Portland April 11 at Ash Street Saloon, and April 29 at Ella Street Social Club. We’d love to see you out there.
Thanks for checking out our new blog. We’ll be updating it soon with in-depth profiles of our attractive band members. So come on back. The Grapefruit League is a warm and welcoming place.
Fondly,
Dan Lurie
