All that Grazz

New EP from Cody Brewer’s Grazzhopper is full of surprises

Grazzhopper, the Tulsa band led by banjo-wielding singer-songwriter Cody Brewer, is a perfect example of the futility of labels in music. 

You may come to the band’s eponymous debut release with certain expectations. The name of the band contains a play on the word “grass.” The front-man plays a banjo. It’s not unreasonable to imagine the album would be one big picking-and-grinning bluegrass hootenanny. 

The short answer: It’s not. It’s much fresher and more satisfying than that. Brewer’s songs pull off the magic trick of weaving a bluegrass sensibility throughout a collection of well-crafted songs that would work in the confines of most any musical genre. In the process, Brewer and company create a totally unique hybrid.

“Bluegrass is a huge influence on me,” Brewer said. “The ‘new-grass’ movement, from Bela Fleck to Sam Bush to the Punch Brothers—people who push that boundary between progressive and traditional—I admire that.

“But with these songs, this record, it just kind of came out the way it did. I don’t really know what you’d call it. Call it Grazz.”

Recorded mostly at The Church Studio, the 5-song EP was produced by Cody Clinton and engineered by Costa Stasinopoulos. It features Brewer on lead vocals and banjo, Clinton on guitar, Jordan Hehl on bass, Josh Raymer on drums and Adrienne Gilley on accompanying vocals. Andrew Bones lends opening track “Someday” a charming melodic boost with his work on the bells, and Desirae Roses-Clinton adds a down-home vocal flavor to “Everybody Needs,” by far the album’s most traditional take on bluegrass.

From song to song, Brewer and company subvert tradition and expectation, tapping into the spirit of bluegrass but applying that spirit in ways that are unpredictable and completely familiar all at once. Ultimately, with this album Grazzhopper achieves something all music should aspire to: They manage to surprise you. And that makes listening to music fun. 

Whatever label you want to slap on it—bluegrass or new-grass or just plain Grazz—listening to Grazzhopper is fun. What else do you need to know?

Ugly sweaters, tasty beers

Cody Brewer, Cody Clinton and Dylan Layton will perform as Grazzhopper Trio at Marshall Brewing’s inaugural Ugly Sweater Party on Dec. 18. Food will be available from Mr. Nice Guys tacos and the brewery will offer beer specials to those in festive attire. Music starts at 6 p.m. at Marshall Brewing Co., 618 S. Wheeling.

For more from Matt, read his review of Pilgrim's debut studio album, Easy People.