Politicking for Grand Ole Party

There’s no need to practice partisan politics to endorse Grand Ole Party, especially if you like your rock raw and soulful. The San Diego-based trio, which released its debut album “Humanimals” on Super Tuesday, dispenses its retro blues like indefatigable campaigners, with singing drummer Kristin Gundred belting it out as if Grace Slick and Tina Turner never happened.

“I’m more drawn to things that are really intense; that’s probably why I sing the way I do,” she says. “And in front of this band, that’s certainly the way it comes out.”

Gundred, guitarist John Paul Labno and bassist Mike Krechnyak met at UC Santa Cruz, jammed for a while in San Francisco and settled in San Diego before catching the attention of Rilo Kiley guitarist Blake Sennett, who, to continue the voting theme, also fronts the Elected — and who produced “Humanimals.”

The album was released on DH Records, the imprint launched by 3D Management honcho Dave Holmes (Coldplay, Interpol). (Side note: DH also has released an EP by Magnetic Morning, a collaboration between Interpol's Sam Fogarino and Swervedriver's Adam Franklin.)

“Our approach was that we like records, we like tube amps, we like the older versions of sounds,” Gundred says. Their throwback results more closely approximate GOP’s live shows, which they honed on a tour supporting Rilo Kiley and which will get a true test in April, when the trio plays Coachella. “I’m familiar with it,” Gundred says of the festival experience (she has performed with Rilo Kiley as a backup singer). “But at the same time, it wasn’t my band. I’ll probably write my lyrics on my damn hand I’ll be so nervous."

||| Live: Grand Ole Party performs tonight at Club Underground at the Echo.

||| Download: "Look Out Young Son."

Photo by Pamela Littky

Highlights for Friday, Feb. 15

Emery plays to a sold-out room tonight at the Troubadour. ... Siouxsie headlines the Music Box @ Fonda. ... At the Echoplex, St. Vincent headlines, and Foreign Born (who will play some material they are working on for their sophomore album) opens. ... Carina Round plays a full-band show at the Hotel Cafe (Emma Burgess and Seneca Hawk are also on the bill). ... The Binges go off at Spaceland (opening for cover band AC/DShe). ... And Paper Thin Walls plays at the Scene in Glendale.