What Lasts by Alec Gross

Alec often finds his

inspiration in the works of other artists, "I'll hear a song on the radio or I'll see a movie or a painting in a gallery somewhere... it could be a lyric, a brush stroke or anything really, and I'll start thinking, 'How can I do that, and how can I do it even better? A few days later I'll have a new song written-up.'"

Alec recorded his first album, Brace Yo'selves, in the attic the summer of 2001. A largely solo acoustic effort, the album did include two notable songs written by Alec and performed by his short-lived Bluegrass trio, "The Jericho Mountain Boys".

During his Junior year in college, Alec shared an apartment

in Madrid, Spain with his banjo-playing friend, Matt Check. This expatriated duo spent a great deal of time spreading the gospel of Bluegrass to the perplexed but entertained ears of the local Madrileños.

Alec and Matt most recently returned from a trip to Ireland in the winter of 2004. They played in pubs all across the country, trading licks and stories with the traditonal session players they met along the way.

In the summer of 2002, Alec assembled a four-piece rock band to record his second album, WhiskeyHandshake. These

musicians continued to work together, playing clubs in Boston, New York and Pennsylvania. All the while Alec was constantly writing, constantly developing his stage performance.

In July of 2004, Alec moved to Washington, D.C., where he is currently gigging in support of his latest album, What Lasts. Featuring both full band and solo acoustic songs, Alec is particularly excited about the new record, "It's really a step in the right direction. This was the first album of mine that wasn't recorded in a single day. I could take my time with the recordings and so I feel like the finished product is much closer to how I originally envisioned it sounding."

Although What Lasts is clearly different from his earlier records, demonstrating Alec's growth both in performance and in songwriting, it is nevertheless pure, unadulterated Whiskey Rock. And what is Whiskey Rock, you ask? "That is the question isn't it?", Alec explains with a grin, "Whiskey Rock is music which makes you dance, think, drink hard and approach tempting strangers in bars. If Soul, Rock 'N Roll, Folk, and Country all got together, their baby would be Whiskey Rock. Whiskey Rock is the music I make and, while I'm not making any promises here, it just might save your life."

Still don't know what Whiskey Rock is? Then you'd better pick yourself up a copy of Alec Gross' latest release, What Lasts. Like Papermag.com predicts, "you'll surely fall in love with his smooth voice and sweet chords"(Nov. 21st), as What Lasts' smooth, smokey finish and unadulterated abandon burns like a shot of bourbon thrown back in the final minutes of the night.

Alec Gross: The Finest Purveyor of Oak-Barrel Aged Whiskey Rock.

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