This EP was recorded at Retro Futurism Audio in Portland, OR with producer Joel Lane. This EP was mastered by Grant’s relative Monte Vallier (Swell). Grant wrote and performed this entire EP with the exception of drums on track 2 and 4 by Jacob Bledsoe. This EP was inspired by summers in California, climate change, VHS tapes, the town of San Juan Bautista, and friends. “The Ballad of Captain Chup” is a “summer Springsteen-esque song dedicated to a changing West Coast” (Grant Summerland)
Unnatural History EP II, Grant Summerland’s second release, expands on the themes of the first EP by delving deeper into the ideas of time’s passage, a distrust of nostalgia, and a changing West Coast. The opener, ‘The Camellia Bush Song,’ reflects on the CZU Lightning Complex fires, during which Grant and his family were evacuated. The reverb-soaked ‘Community Pool’ ponders faint memories of high school and deceased classmates, while the orchestral ‘What Did Bill Watterson Do Today?’ functions as a love song dedicated to the reclusive Calvin and Hobbes author. Featuring new sonic elements such as live string sections, field recordings, ambient synths, and harsher guitar noises, Unnatural History II EP presents a darker and more mature soundscape relative to its predecessor.
After spending his teenage years playing in bands in Santa Cruz, CA, indie artist Grant Summerland emerged in 2020 with early demos and ‘Bigfoot Museum’—an entirely self-written and produced concept album depicting a coming-of-age horror movie set in the Santa Cruz Mountains.
Following the pandemic and a move to Portland, OR, Grant celebrated his first formal release in 2023 with the Unnatural History EP. This 5-track project pays homage to the past 30 years of indie rock and punk music. Written and performed entirely by Grant and recorded 40 feet below the surface of the earth with newcomer producer Joel Lane, the EP marked a reintroduction to Grant’s musical style. Ones To Watch called the EP “A blanket of dynamic soundscape and authentic lyricism,” and it received coverage from other outlets such as Backstreet Mafia and Spill Mag.
Over the past year, Grant, along with his live band GRANT & THE SUMMERLANDS, has consistently performed in the Portland and Seattle areas, including a tour hitting DIY spots from Seattle to Orange County and back up again this past spring. Additionally, Grant released two music videos he directed—one for ‘Backwoods Alabama’ and one for ‘CHUPACABRA,’ a standalone single for Halloween 2023. Looking ahead, Grant is planning a full-length release later this year and will be touring the West Coast in May 2024. His bandmates are involved in other PNW bands such as Worms In Dirt (of which Grant is a touring member), Unseen Object, and Holy Catholic Social Club.