WBUR's 14 albums by New England musicians to listen to this summer

WBUR's 14 albums by New England musicians to listen to this summer

The Gravel Project, 'Find What You Need'
June 13

With his bluesy electric guitar playing and blue-eyed soulful vocals, Andrew Gravel and his band have found plenty of fans in the local jam and roots rock worlds and drawn favorable comparisons to another group with Boston ties: the Tedeschi Trucks Band. Unlike a lot of their peers, the members of The Gravel Project have figured out how to bring the electricity of their live shows into the studio with a clean recording that echoes the best of their classic rock influences. Gravel digs deep to bring out these 10 musical stories that explore the complexities of relationships, with especially inspired playing from organist Jordan Gravel and master percussionist Eugie Castrillo.

The Gravel Project will celebrate the release June 14 at the Lizard Lounge in Cambridge.

New album, "Find What You Need" coming 6/13/25. Pre-order now!

New album, "Find What You Need" coming 6/13/25. Pre-order now!

Our new album, “Find What You Need” is slated for worldwide release 6/13/25 and is now available to pre-order! Buy the album on Bandcamp or Amazon and get your copy today on Vinyl, CD or Digital formats.

The Gravel Project Releases Their Latest Single, 'So Sad'

The Gravel Project Releases Their Latest Single, 'So Sad'

The Gravel Project's new album will be released on June 13, 2025

The song taps into those moments when you know you’ve messed up and hurt someone you love.”

— Andrew Gravel

BOSTON, MA, UNITED STATES, April 28, 2025 /EINPresswire.com/ -- Gravel Rocks Records is excited to announce the release of The Gravel Project’s second single of this year, “So Sad”.

“So Sad” is the second single off the upcoming album, “Find What You Need” which is scheduled to be released on June 13, 2025. The track moves with a funky, danceable rhythm, packed with bluesy guitar riffs and a chorus that sticks with you. Beneath the groove, "the song taps into those moments when you know you’ve messed up and hurt someone you love, when you’re stuck between guilt, hope, and a deep frustration for causing ongoing sorrow even though you’re doing everything you can to make things right,” explains Andrew Gravel, the band’s frontman and songwriter.

“The song taps into those moments when you know you’ve messed up and hurt someone you love.” -Andrew Gravel 

Both “So Sad” and the upcoming album were recorded at Power Station New England, a world-class studio modeled after the iconic Power Station/Avatar Studios in New York City. The sessions were led by Grammy-winning producers John Paterno (Gov’t Mule, Bonnie Raitt, Robben Ford) and Greg Ogan (Rihanna, Bruno Mars, Kelly Clarkson). 

The Gravel Project is a Modern Blues/Rock band based in Boston, MA, and is the creation of Andrew Gravel, the lead vocalist, guitarist, and songwriter. Since its inception, The Gravel Project has served as a platform for Andrew to collaborate with some of Boston’s most talented musicians, both in the studio and on stage. The band features Andrew’s brother, Jordan Gravel, on Hammond organ and keyboards, along with Dave Fox on drums, Eguie Castrillo on percussion, Jen Kearney on vocals and Jesse Williams on bass. The Gravel Project has previously released three albums including “Wishful Thinking” (2017), “Many Miles Ahead” (2022), and “Live at Wellspring Studios” (2023). The band won ‘Best Roots Rock Band of the Year’ in the 2023 New England Music Awards and their song, “Wishful Thinking” won ‘Song of the Year’ for AAA [Adult Album Alternative] Radio Station, WMWV 93.5 FM in Conway, NH. “No More Fire” was also added to Spotify’s Editorial playlist, ‘Modern Blues Rock’ for almost a year and their past releases were played on AAA radio stations across the country.

“So Sad” is currently available on all major streaming services including Spotify®Apple Music, Tidal, Pandora, and Amazon Music. If you are in the Northeast USA, be sure to check the band’s calendar on their website to catch a show. To find out more about The Gravel Project and the upcoming shows, you can visit their website at https://www.thegravelproject.com.

The Gravel Project Reminds Us to Appreciate Each Other With Their New Single, 'Love the Life'

The Gravel Project Reminds Us to Appreciate Each Other With Their New Single, 'Love the Life'

“Love the Life” video premiered worldwide on Music-News.com.

The song celebrates the life two people have built together, reminding them of all the reasons it’s worth fighting for.”

— Andrew Gravel

BOSTON, MA, UNITED STATES, April 8, 2025 /EINPresswire.com/ -- Independent record label, Gravel Rocks Records, announces the release of The Gravel Project’s newest single, “Love the Life”.

The Gravel Project is a Modern Blues/Rock band based in Boston, MA and is the brainchild of Andrew Gravel, who is the lead singer, guitar player, and songwriter. With Andrew as the founding member, The Gravel Project has long showcased some of Boston's most talented musicians, both in the studio and on stage.

“Love the Life” is the first single off the new forthcoming album called “Find What You Need” that is slated to be released on June 13, 2025. “The song celebrates the life two people have built together, reminding them of all the reasons it’s worth fighting for,” says Gravel. The track features lead vocals by Andrew, joined by R & B/Soul artist, Jen Kearney. “I take the first verse, Jen takes the second, and together, we bring both sides of the relationship to life - two voices, one shared desire to reconnect.”

Both “Love the Life” and the upcoming album were recorded at Power Station New England (a replica of the legendary New York City Power Station/Avatar Studios) with Grammy-winning producers John Paterno (Gov’t Mule, Bonnie Raitt, Robben Ford) and Greg Ogan (Rihanna, Bruno Mars, Kelly Clarkson). “John Paterno and Greg Ogan challenged us with fresh ideas and innovative recording techniques that pushed our boundaries,” Andrew remarks. The new album also features Andrew’s brother Jordan Gravel on Hammond organ and keyboards, Dave Fox on drums, Eguie Castrillo on percussion, and Jesse Williams on bass.

The Gravel Project was established in 2010 and has released three albums including “Wishful Thinking” (2017), “Many Miles Ahead” (2022), and “Live at Wellspring Studios” (2023). The band won ‘Best Roots Rock Band of the Year’ in the 2023 New England Music Awards and their song, “Wishful Thinking” won ‘Song of the Year’ for AAA [Adult Album Alternative] Radio Station, WMWV 93.5 FM in Conway, NH. “No More Fire” was also added to Spotify’s Editorial playlist, ‘Modern Blues Rock’ for over a year and their past releases were played on AAA radio stations across the country.

The video for “Love the Life” is now available on YouTube and recently premiered worldwide onMusic-News.com on Friday, April 7, 2025.

“Love the Life” is currently available on all major streaming services includingSpotify,Apple Music, Tidal, andAmazon Music. The band performs regularly in the USA's Northeast region. To find out more about The Gravel Project and the upcoming shows, you can visit their website athttps://www.thegravelproject.com.

We're recording a new album!

We're recording a new album!

We are incredibly excited to announce that we are hitting the studio in October to record a new album with Grammy winning producers, and we’re inviting you to join us in helping create this new album. 

The Gravel Project has previously recorded four albums (The Gravel Project (2013), Wishful Thinking (2017), Many Miles Ahead (2022), and Live at Wellspring Studios (2023), and these records were self-produced and self-financed. We’ve never run a crowdfunding campaign, as we’ve always been a bit uncomfortable with the idea of asking for help. However as we look ahead to this next project, the reality is we can’t do this alone. The music industry has changed big time. It's extremely expensive to make an album, and the return on investment for releasing new music is minimal. Most people listen to their music on streaming platforms like Spotify and Apple Music that barely pay musicians. Many listeners expect music to be free, even though it’s very expensive for the artists to create. 

The total cost of recording, mixing, mastering, artwork and design, manufacturing of vinyl and CDs and promotion of the album will be more than $30,000. Our goal is to raise as close to that number as possible, which will make this incredible opportunity a reality for us. In return for your contributions we are offering a number of cool perks including T-shirts, hats, CDs and vinyl, limited edition posters, lessons with band members, house concerts, and liner note credits on the album. Please let us know if you would like to see any other perks not currently included. We are humbly asking for you to consider contributing to the creation of our next album. 

The new record will be recorded and produced by two Grammy winning producers/engineers, John Paterno and Greg Ogan. John engineered and produced Gov’t Mule’s two latest albums, and has also worked with Bonnie Raitt, Robben Ford, Michael Landau, and Steve Gadd, amongst many others. Greg Ogan has worked extensively with artists such as Bruno Mars, Rihanna, Justin Bieber, and Britney Spears. We’ll be recording for three consecutive days at the Power Station New England in Waterford, CT October 25th through 27th. We’ve never worked with a producer before, and this is an incredible opportunity to bring out the best of new material with two highly regarded music industry veterans. 

If you are in a position to support us we would be beyond grateful for your contribution and belief in the future of this band. If monetary support isn’t possible for you now, spreading the word to your friends and family or sharing our music would also be a great help. We'll be releasing some live-in-studio videos, interviews and other content throughout the campaign. No matter what, we are committed to making this record a reality.  Thank you for your consideration, and we greatly appreciate your support!

"Today, with the cost of creating content being close to zero, people can share an incredible amount of content.” (Daniel Ek, Spotify CEO and out of touch billionaire who doesn’t seem to understand that recording and releasing new music is very expensive!) 

The Gravel Project - Singles Review and Interview

The Gravel Project - Singles Review and Interview

The Gravel Project is an outstanding Boston ensemble that delivers some rocking blues and funk. The band is the brainchild of guitarist, composer, and singer Andrew Gravel and brother, Hammond B3 organist and composer, Jordan Gravel. The current lineup includes Dave Fox on drums and Brandon Mayes on percussion and vocals. The Gravel Project released their second full length album, Wishful Thinking, in 2017 and a ferocious live recording, Live at Village Fest, in 2018.

Recently, The Gravel Project have released several singles in anticipation of a new album release in 2021. The first single released earlier this year was the latin infused funky “Facts and Fiction”. Andrew’s vocals are spot on and Jordan’s keyboards are powerful and compelling. The driving guitar solo is pure electric dynamite. The entire tune has a commanding cadence that flows like a speeding freight train. The lyrics are very poignant. They channel the media, political discontent and divisive misinformation that is currently the norm.

The Gravel Project ‘s newest single, “Big Deep Blue”, is a bluesy romp with an intoxicating beat. Andrews’s vocals are again perfectly matched to the essence of the song. The musicianship is exceptional with waves of soulful rhythms cascading through the air. The funky guitar and dynamic rippling keyboards are definitely highlights. Fox’s drums and Mayes’ percussion drop a solid backbeat. Love lost takes center stage but heartache has never sounded so good.

If these two songs are any indication of The Gravel Project‘s new record, they’re going to hit a home run.

Andrew Gravel was kind enough to answer a few questions about the band. (Click link to read full article)

March 6th at The Porch, Medford, MA!

March 6th at The Porch, Medford, MA!

We’ll be making our debut performance at The Porch in Medford, MA on Friday March 6th, double billing with Nate Wilson and Friends (Ghosts of Jupiter). We’re pumped for this show and hope you’ll come out to this killer new Boston venue for the show. Southern food and cocktails are awesome at The Porch and we’d recommend eating there too. Music starts at 8:30pm. Buy your tickets in advance!

Opening for Tedeschi Trucks Band this Saturday!

We’re beyond excited to be playing the opening set for Tedeschi Trucks Band and the Wheels of Soul Tour this Saturday 7/13 at Bank of New Hampshire Pavilion in Gilford, NH! We’ll be kicking the night off on the Magic Hat Stage and playing from 5pm-7pm! Make sure to get there early and check out our set if you’re going to the show!

AERONAUT Allston show - Wednesday June 5th!

We’re super psyched to be playing at the AERONAUT Allston Beer Garden Wednesday June 5 from 7pm - 8:30. AERONAUT Allston is a summertime musical beer garden series hosted by Aeronaut Brewing Company at Zone 3’s hub of activity, 267 Western Ave, in Allston. The show will also feature the best local food trucks, and great beer, and is is open to the public, including kids and dogs! Bring your friends, your neighbors, your kids, and your dog!

Boston show 4/26 at The Burren with The Sonya Rae Taylor Band!

We’re super psyched for our upcoming show at The Burren Backroom in Davis Square, Somerville. This is a special EARLY show with 6pm doors, 7pm show. Grab your tickets in advance and come on out to hear a great night of music split between The Gravel Project and The Sonya Rae Taylor Band!

Live Album release show at The Burren Backroom Series - November 11th!

We’re super psyched to be playing at The Burren in Davis Square, Somerville on 11/11, as we release our brand new live album, “Live at Village Fest!” This will be an early show, doors at 7pm, and we’ll be co-billing with Josie Lowder.

Tickets are available now right here

The show is all ages, so bring the whole family and don’t miss this one!

Sound of Boston album review

Sound of Boston album review

"The Gravel Project’s new record, Wishful Thinking, supersedes the jam-band persona by melding gritty guitar riffs and improvisational jazz methods.”

"... a vibe present in the sounds of Tedeschi Trucks Band, perfect for an outdoor festival.”

– Colin Kirkland, Sound of Boston

Cruising with The Gravel Project!

Cruising with The Gravel Project!

Thursday, August 10th is our annual summer music cruise with Mahi Cruises in Salem, MA! We'll be playing on the Hannah Glover boat from 7:30 - 9:30 as we cruise throughout Salem, Marblehead, and Beverly coastlines and harbors. The boat features a full bar and can accommodate up to 150 people. Join us out on the water on August 10th!