Mana Blues

Description

"Those familiar with my music will notice that this album is very different from my previous productions, which I composed mainly on acoustic guitar. I long wondered if it wasn't a mistake to release an electric album this time (and even rather twice than once), but after all, I told myself that you only live once." "Being from Generation X, all these songs are heavily influenced by that period, which I consider, by far, to be the best in pop/rock history. I know this will earn me criticism for being too 'old school,' but frankly, I take it as a compliment because my musical DNA is definitely built around that period." "'Pukehinahina' and 'Embers,' the two songs on the album about war, are also a big novelty for me as a writer because I usually stay away from such horrors that I haven't personally experienced. But I'm very glad I delved into them. The research I did on the Battle of Pukehinahina filled me with a sense of pride that sometimes even brought me to tears, thinking about what my ancestors accomplished on that occasion. This track literally transports me, and there's no doubt that the fabulous contribution of Mathieu and Laurent from Inspector Clouzo only adds to the rage of this title." "Regarding 'Embers,' when I visited the Mémorial de Caen in March 2022, which shows all the atrocities of the Holocaust, or when I walked on the Normandy landing beaches, I felt an incredible mix of sadness, loss, but also pride, awe, and respect for all those men who fell there, many of them also being my ancestors. Quite frankly, if all that wasn't worth composing a song, then what would be?" "As I write these lines, the war in Ukraine continues to rage. Damn, when will they finally learn their lesson?" For the rest, this album is closer to Grant Haua's usual standards, albeit in a more "electrified" form. Titles he considers essential to him. Whether it's singing about love ("Jealousy," "To Be Loved"), respect for great names ("Billie Holiday," "Bad Mofo," an exhilarating cover of Blind Willie Johnson's "My Time Of Dying" which Led Zeppelin had already magnified), the daily pains of the soul and/or body ("Aches," "Blame It On Monday"), or simply the search for simple things ("Good Stuff"). In short, everything that makes up the alchemy of a magnificent album and confirms that Grant Haua is definitely one of those artists who have that "little something extra" that only belongs to the greatest.