The Long Way Round
The Long Way Round was released on 1st December 2009 and is available to buy now.
"Summery rock, mainstream but quirky ... Buy yourself a gift this holiday season and get introspective with Gronk."
Erica Ramon, Hits Daily Double, on 'The Long Way Round'
"There is something for everyone, despite the fact the CD runs on the mellow side. There is no whiney angst on show here, but a more introspective solo style. Not a party CD, but a mellow evening with a bottle of wine type of release. Even better would be see him play it live in some smokey venue across the land.
Particular faves are Wanderlust, Good Morning Carolina and the title track. I have said it before and I meant it. Why the hell do some of those droning dreary singer-songwriter types have deals and this guy is yet unsigned? On a limited budget he produces better results than many a major-label release. Gronk’s songwriting would fit in anywhere: New York, London, Nashville or anywhere else good music is appreciated. If you are a major label artist and need a co-songwriter seek the guy out."
Andrew Ian Dodge, Dodgeblogium, on 'The Long Way Round'
The Long Way Round is a trail-blazing collection of upbeat tracks that swoop across the world, from London’s fashionable West End to the desert outskirts of Middle America…
A capricious ride through time and place, Gronk’s latest offering will never take the short, prosaic route if it can take The Long Way Round…
- THE MARBLE ARCH—a toms-driven Dylanesque opening number, this paints London as a run-down fairy-tale town
- CALL ME OLD-FASHIONED BUT...—a meandering surreal love song with slight reggae overtones and a gradually rising lead guitar part by Claud Musker
- NOBODY CAN SEE—Motown-influenced big band sound with Adrian French on trumpet
- GOIN' TO THE FESTIVAL—a rambunctious country pastiche with Claud and Adrian giving it some welly on guitar and trumpet
- SIXES AND SEVENS—scattergun blues featuring some blistering guitar work from Claud and brash tenor saxophone from the brilliant Scott Durum
- PANAMA—a quiet and slightly cheesy song about escape, building up to a big finish
- GOOD MORNING CAROLINA—recorded in a North Carolina beach house, this instrumental is led by Scott's gorgeous tenor sax, with Gronk backing up on double-tracked marimba
- THE BACK OF BEYOND—a bit of a throwback to Gronk's Cure-influenced earlier material, this is a whole lot happier
- SAW IT COMING—a shameless power ballad that climaxes in a fantastically bombastic extended guitar solo by Claud
- WANDERLUST—a paean to beaches, sunsets and the thrill of travelling, complete with clogged Disney-style voices in the background
- THE LONG WAY ROUND—with summery big beats, auto-tuned vocals, Claud's guitar and Adrian's trumpet, this is everybody's favourite song on the album
- ANOTHER SUNRISE—a nice piece of space-funk to round things off, with Adrian's mariachi-style trumpet solo leading to a final flourish of distorted wah-wah sunrise guitar...
