Good Graeff

Brittany and Brooke Graeff have just mailed posters announcing their upcoming shows in two-dozen cities they'll be visiting in the coming weeks when I catch up with them by phone. Brooke, who just left the Madison, FL, post office, is speaking with me at the beginning of the call and apologizes for the passing cars. "They are noisy because it just rained," she explains.

I don't immediately understand. But after a few seconds, it occurs to me that cars do indeed make more noise on a wet road. Brooke, on the other hand, has worked as a foley artist, reproducing the ambient noises of everyday sounds on movie sets, so it makes sense that she would pick up on acoustic realities like these.

It's also no surprise that Brooke and her identical twin sister, Brittany, succeed in crafting instantly catchy tunes.

The Graeff twins, along with their drummer, Joe Abraham, are heading north from their hometown of Sarasota, FL, in a 1996 Ford Club Wagon van equipped with a camper topper they installed themselves. This is the start of Good Graeff's first-ever full-fledged tour.

That's not to say that playing music together is anything new to them. The twins, who are now in their mid-20s, grew up playing instruments. Brittany started on the cello in fourth grade; Brooke played the double bass in third grade before moving on to guitar. And while the Graeffs' first record, a six-song EP titled Better Half, was released just this year, the sisters have been performing under the name Good Graeff for a decade. Until recently, Brittany admits, "We were a joke band. We weren't in it to push it."

The siblings' musical interaction was mainly put on hold while Brittany went to college in Orlando - and for a semester, in France - to pursue a degree from the University of Central Florida, and Brooke's work in filmmaking acoustics and sound editing for video game trailers took her to Canada.

But after six years apart, they're together again, at any particular moment living "in tents, guest houses and vans," they explain in twin tag-team speak, completing one another's sentences at times, and at other times speaking in unison (their voices are so similar it's actually hard to tell for sure which twin is speaking). I'm left with the impression that the sisters enjoy a good degree of popularity and a large network of close friends.

And living together again means the Graeff sisters are also making music together again. This time, they tell me, they've been "really pushing it since January."

Their reunion, however, didn't happen in Florida, but in Hanoi, Vietnam. Brittany was traveling across Southeast Asia and was so smitten with Vietnam she told Brooke to join her. In Vietnam, the musical sisters found themselves jamming and writing songs for their own enjoyment. One night - actually early in the morning - at a party in their neighbors' apartment, their hosts prodded them into performing for the party guests. It was a consequential turn. A text message from an impressed partier led to a string of events which, by the next day, earned the sisters a booking agent who started arranging gigs for them in Hanoi. They wound up playing scores of shows in Vietnam during the proceeding weeks.

The songs they are featuring on their U.S. tour - which also make up Better Half - were largely written in Vietnam. The record was the product of a month of "tinkering and playing around" in a spare bedroom in Orlando, says Brooke. The duo had a bit of producing help from a friend, but they did most of the editing themselves.

Good Graeff has an up-tempo, acoustic indie sound with the distinguishing features of Brittany's ever-present cello and Brooke's distinctive voice. It immediately grabs your attention. On a first listen, their sound might be mistaken as angry - an impression reinforced by the anchoring gravity of the cello and vocals that resemble angstier acts. But what initially seems like fury is actually the same earnestness, intelligence and driving energy the twins convey in regular conversation. And their lyrical content is optimistic and life affirming.

When they talk about their band, the twins tend to refer to themselves more as sisters on an adventure that connects back to their childhood than as musicians. It's a funny contrast. They have a knack for giving themselves a polished sheen - from their record to their album and their website - which can disguise how new they are at this.

When I ask them about their influences, the twins continue to complete each other's sentences as they express how much they enjoy watching interviews with Canadian twin-sister musicians Tegan & Sara and reminisce about "the Mary Kate and Ashley VHS videos our mom really loved giving us."

It's obvious the sisters are enjoying themselves. "We really take life by the horns and go f - Fly Magazine

Good Graeff is an up-and-coming duo specializing in melodic indie string pop. Twin sisters Brittany and Brooke Graeff blend the guitar, cello, and even ukelele alongside their charming vocals to create tunes that are both heartfelt and undoubtedly danceable. They’re currently knee deep in promoting a Kickstarter campaign that hopefully brings this fine music to a live venue near you. Good Graeff also recently made a video for “Hold Me Fast,” which adds to their likability if you weren’t already convinced they’re your new favorite female twin duo. Please watch it below, and I’m certain you’ll want to have a paint splash dance party. - 5Acts

...What at first appears to be an eclectic range of influences too broad to quote, on their lead song “Hold Me Fast” is revealed to be a blend of punk, rock and acoustic, in the least boring way possible. Fast gaining comparison to Tegan & Sara, the Graeff twins also have something of Irish sister act Heathers about them, as well as championing their own brand of fast paced, string twanging pop.

To celebrate our new find and get to grips with what exactly the world is in for, DrunkenWerewolf’s Tiffany Daniels speaks to Brooke and Brit about forming to win talent show competitions, not being able to play the drums and sharing one phone.

-How and when did you realise you wanted to be musicians?

We loved playing shows together in Vietnam. We still weren’t sure we wanted to pursue it, until our older sister came to visit us and really made us see we have something special. So we sat down and really talked about it and decided — why not! This was in the fall of 2012.

-You’re twins, but did you get into music around the same time? Have you always liked the same kind of music?

We both got into music very young because of our older siblings. Brittany just continued with cello, while Brooke jumped around instruments. We defiantly have not always liked the same music – Brooke was a young punk kid while Brittany was growing some gnarly dreads. It wasn’t until a few years ago that our interested became more similar, but there are still some bands that one likes and the other doesn’t.

For the rest of the interview, please visit: http://www.drunkenwerewolf.com/2013/04/16/interview-good-graeff/ - Drunken Werewolf

...What at first appears to be an eclectic range of influences too broad to quote, on their lead song “Hold Me Fast” is revealed to be a blend of punk, rock and acoustic, in the least boring way possible. Fast gaining comparison to Tegan & Sara, the Graeff twins also have something of Irish sister act Heathers about them, as well as championing their own brand of fast paced, string twanging pop.

To celebrate our new find and get to grips with what exactly the world is in for, DrunkenWerewolf’s Tiffany Daniels speaks to Brooke and Brit about forming to win talent show competitions, not being able to play the drums and sharing one phone.

-How and when did you realise you wanted to be musicians?

We loved playing shows together in Vietnam. We still weren’t sure we wanted to pursue it, until our older sister came to visit us and really made us see we have something special. So we sat down and really talked about it and decided — why not! This was in the fall of 2012.

-You’re twins, but did you get into music around the same time? Have you always liked the same kind of music?

We both got into music very young because of our older siblings. Brittany just continued with cello, while Brooke jumped around instruments. We defiantly have not always liked the same music – Brooke was a young punk kid while Brittany was growing some gnarly dreads. It wasn’t until a few years ago that our interested became more similar, but there are still some bands that one likes and the other doesn’t.

For the rest of the interview, please visit: http://www.drunkenwerewolf.com/2013/04/16/interview-good-graeff/ - Drunken Werewolf

Good Graeff have more than a little in common with Canadian boppers Tegan & Sara. For starters, Brooke and Brit Graeff are identical, but that’s not all. Their charming debut single “Hold Me Fast” has the same addictive quality as the Quinn twins in their prime; and their debut EP Better Half promises to blow So Jealous fans out of the water.

Graeff go on a bit of a diversion thereafter. Brooke plays guitar, while her sister Brit picks up a cello to give their project a no wave feel. What emerges out of the ether is a sound to make Jesca Hoop quake in her boots. Beautifully composed but also unabashedly different, it’s pop music for those of us who like a little substance with their cornflakes.

From Orlando, Florida, the ladies recently successfully completed a crowd funding campaign (snap) to tour the US (unsnap). Hopefully this bodes well for a trip across the pond sometime soon, but in the meantime you can hear “Hold Me Fast” below. Better Half is now available to pre-order from here. - Drunken Werewolf

Good Graeff acoustic folk pop duo of twins Brooke and Brittany Graeff. The two formed the project when they were just 16 years old in Florida. Bucking the trends of most twins, they both went their separate way with Brooke heading off to Canada and Brittany to Europe.

MP3: Good Graeff – Hold Me Fast

Last year, the two reunited in Vietnam and immediately started playing music together again for an outlet with no intentions of it turning into anything serious. However, after their neighbors heard the duo, they were asked to play a party and received positive praise.

The girls now are heavy into a Kickstarter campaign to help fund their EP and upcoming tour. Right now, they are approximately $1400 away from their $10000 goal with just a little under three day remaining. Head over to their Kickstarter page and support this promising project with any amount you can scrounge together big or small. As they say, every little bit counts. - My Old Kentucky Blog

Good Graeff acoustic folk pop duo of twins Brooke and Brittany Graeff. The two formed the project when they were just 16 years old in Florida. Bucking the trends of most twins, they both went their separate way with Brooke heading off to Canada and Brittany to Europe.

MP3: Good Graeff – Hold Me Fast

Last year, the two reunited in Vietnam and immediately started playing music together again for an outlet with no intentions of it turning into anything serious. However, after their neighbors heard the duo, they were asked to play a party and received positive praise.

The girls now are heavy into a Kickstarter campaign to help fund their EP and upcoming tour. Right now, they are approximately $1400 away from their $10000 goal with just a little under three day remaining. Head over to their Kickstarter page and support this promising project with any amount you can scrounge together big or small. As they say, every little bit counts. - My Old Kentucky Blog

You know what they say about dogs being like their owners, well that was the same for music students where I went to University, and I suspect it was (and is) the same everywhere. There was us, the brass players. Loud, brash, heavy drinking animals who arrived in college purely to find people to go to the pub with, or (occasionally) go to lectures. Looked down upon by the woodwind players (misery sticks), pitied by the studious and sensible string players (scratch boxes), looked up to by the percussion players (shed builders) and generally ignored by the keyboard and classical guitar players (usually socially awkward anyway, and certainly not to be coveted for all day drinking) Thing was they could all make these beautiful sounds, and in the dark melancholy of the pub snugs, you could maybe afford that thought. If only we could make that dark beautiful sound of the strings, that lyrical sound of the strings, the……..well, maybe we didn’t ponder percussion at times like that. And anyway, who’s round was it? Come on, let’s have a game of darts.

Listening to Orlando, Florida based Good Graeff takes me back to those brief moments of brass players self-pity. Beautiful string led country sort of classical sort of indie pop, its charming and funny and fun and melodious and…well, great.

The band itself is essentially twins Brooke and Brittany Graeff, who first formed the acoustic folk pop duo Good Graeff in 2004 when they were just 16 years old – I have to ask what they’d been doing for the other 15 years, but that’s probably just me. In high school, Brooke started writing music, and Good Graeff was unleashed. A hiatus occurred when the twins went exploring, Brooke to Canada, and Brittany came across to Europe.

Now they’re reunited, and with a purpose. They’ve a kickstarter campaign to help them tour, and they’ve also got the recently released Good Grief EP out, that you really ought to check out.

It opens with white horses, that introduces you to Good Graeff the band. The girls sing together, little life stories and observations, with largely acoustic instrumentation to the fore. It propels forward, intelligently, somewhat reminiscent of girls doing Ra Ra Riot songs.

Second song Vietnam, is the first of the stand out tracks on the EP. It’s here that the dark sound of the cello starts to ache, to gently pull at your emotions, in this, a tale of waiting, of love, of being unsure. Hold me fast is beautiful. Simple as that. The Cello (That Cello) plays with your senses, making you feel euphoric with its rhythmic figure, then dismissing that in favour of beauty. The whole song is a rush of emotion.

You don’t sleep has the air of a folk song in its feel, and indeed its arrangement, and that moves smoothly into penultimate track on the EP, Eye to eye. More of a sing aloong number than some of the others, it remains unrelentingly positive and sunny, and builds to the sort of crescendo that leaves a warm feeling inside.

Top of the world (Fucking close) could almost be the sort of thing Mumford and Sons could write, but don’t. Its charming, I’m not top of the world, but with you I’m getting Fucking close, sings Brooke, with a (probably metaphorical) smile on her face. And what this whole EP leaves you with, is a (not metaphorical) genuine smile on your face.

Maybe I should have hung out with the string players after all. - Backseat Mafia

You know what they say about dogs being like their owners, well that was the same for music students where I went to University, and I suspect it was (and is) the same everywhere. There was us, the brass players. Loud, brash, heavy drinking animals who arrived in college purely to find people to go to the pub with, or (occasionally) go to lectures. Looked down upon by the woodwind players (misery sticks), pitied by the studious and sensible string players (scratch boxes), looked up to by the percussion players (shed builders) and generally ignored by the keyboard and classical guitar players (usually socially awkward anyway, and certainly not to be coveted for all day drinking) Thing was they could all make these beautiful sounds, and in the dark melancholy of the pub snugs, you could maybe afford that thought. If only we could make that dark beautiful sound of the strings, that lyrical sound of the strings, the……..well, maybe we didn’t ponder percussion at times like that. And anyway, who’s round was it? Come on, let’s have a game of darts.

Listening to Orlando, Florida based Good Graeff takes me back to those brief moments of brass players self-pity. Beautiful string led country sort of classical sort of indie pop, its charming and funny and fun and melodious and…well, great.

The band itself is essentially twins Brooke and Brittany Graeff, who first formed the acoustic folk pop duo Good Graeff in 2004 when they were just 16 years old – I have to ask what they’d been doing for the other 15 years, but that’s probably just me. In high school, Brooke started writing music, and Good Graeff was unleashed. A hiatus occurred when the twins went exploring, Brooke to Canada, and Brittany came across to Europe.

Now they’re reunited, and with a purpose. They’ve a kickstarter campaign to help them tour, and they’ve also got the recently released Good Grief EP out, that you really ought to check out.

It opens with white horses, that introduces you to Good Graeff the band. The girls sing together, little life stories and observations, with largely acoustic instrumentation to the fore. It propels forward, intelligently, somewhat reminiscent of girls doing Ra Ra Riot songs.

Second song Vietnam, is the first of the stand out tracks on the EP. It’s here that the dark sound of the cello starts to ache, to gently pull at your emotions, in this, a tale of waiting, of love, of being unsure. Hold me fast is beautiful. Simple as that. The Cello (That Cello) plays with your senses, making you feel euphoric with its rhythmic figure, then dismissing that in favour of beauty. The whole song is a rush of emotion.

You don’t sleep has the air of a folk song in its feel, and indeed its arrangement, and that moves smoothly into penultimate track on the EP, Eye to eye. More of a sing aloong number than some of the others, it remains unrelentingly positive and sunny, and builds to the sort of crescendo that leaves a warm feeling inside.

Top of the world (Fucking close) could almost be the sort of thing Mumford and Sons could write, but don’t. Its charming, I’m not top of the world, but with you I’m getting Fucking close, sings Brooke, with a (probably metaphorical) smile on her face. And what this whole EP leaves you with, is a (not metaphorical) genuine smile on your face.

Maybe I should have hung out with the string players after all. - Backseat Mafia

"Better Half" by Good Graeff (a female duo of twins) is Indie-Americana Singer-Songwriter EP featuring a cello as one of the main instruments throughout.

The second track (entitled: "Vietnam") is the first fully fleshed out song of the EP and really introduces the listener to the style. Rapid fire lyrics and distinct and intimate acoustic instrumentation are the first noticeable elements. The instruments are very clear, never drowned in reverb or distant... they're not flat mind you, just not hiding at all (which is becoming uncommon).

The chorus of "You Don't Sleep" is an especially enjoyable one, as it's lyrics are pointed and sharp, and instrumentally an accordion is introduced.

If you feel the bittersweet anthems of the EP are a little to sweet throughout- the last song kicks in the bitter with a more punchy and profane hook, ending it on a note soaked in attitude.

Overall "Better Half" is a Singer-Songwriter album with out-of-the-ordinary instrumentation and high production levels, qualities which are unfortunately found in the minority of most pieces coming out within the genre. - Examiner

I had never heard of Good Graeff until a chance Facebook message and YouTube video caught my eyes and eardrums, the twin sister Graeff’s, Brooke and Brittany captured my attention at first sight and sound, I was enthralled by the eire depth of cello reverb . I did a bit of research and said immediately these beautiful young women need to exposure out in the Sarasota scene. So it wasn’t 24 hours before another local Singer/Songwriter Justin Layman needed an opening act for a show at Cock and Bull Pub and I immediately said I have just the opener for you, from there, I helped them get gigs in Orlando thru some well connected musicians at Full Sail University, and the rest is history. GG has made a huge impact on Sarasota and local venues in a short time, with many of the areas seasoned bands begging them to play shows alongside them. I was very impressed to discover GG had formed the acoustic folk pop duo in 2004 in Florida at 15 years old. The twins are very versatile on many instruments such as violin, guitar, bass, harmonica, ukulele, drums, mandolin, and cello. The bands writer, Brooke wrote music while in high school and GG busked the streets of Sarasota at an early age. The duo recently lived abroad and most recently in Vietnam playing to mostly non-english speaking fans. I must say that anyone that goes to see a GG show will be instantly hooked by many aspects of their music, vast vocal range and instrumental discipline, with an inept ability to engage their audience with tale of adventures in travel and the trials of life . I am certain that Brooke and Brittany will be able to complete their journey into a very competitive world, I see their drive and determination is not going to stop them from success. GG’s current LP “Better Half ” is a stunning 6 track collection of lyrical genius, each composition written in the first person, digging deep into personal experiences, the sense of family, love, disappointment, expectations, and everything life tends to hand us along our journeys, is apparent in each verse. My personal favorite tune is “Top of the World”, warn you there is a explicit word throughout, but it’s what anchors the lyrical connotation, simply tending to say to the listener, I’m living my life the way I intend, regardless of how your parents and peers think you should, and with the right person by your side to lean on, anything is possible as long as you try. Each melody on “Better Half” is well composed, the instrumentation and story lines identifiable, sound quality is good, the backing vocals could be a little stronger, but over all a very well mixed and produced collection. Over all I love each track, I wish there were more, so that I didn’t have to repeat, although I’m understanding each a little more each time I listen, so i’m anxiously awaiting more from Good Graeff. - Sarasota Music Scene

As Brittany and Brooke Graeff strummed the first notes of an impromptu street performance in Hanoi, Vietnam, dozens of onlookers gathered. The duo stood out in a city with a nonexistent music scene.

There, more than 9,000 miles from their home in Sarasota, the twin sisters were reunited nearly a year ago. They’d spent six years apart traveling abroad, but picked up right where they left off: playing music.

“We each just bought the crummiest instruments,” says Brooke Graeff about the reunion. “But, it didn’t matter. We were just so happy to be playing music again.”

They delved back into songwriting and began playing in local clubs. Within a few months, the sisters had expanded both their repertoire and their fan base until they felt they’d hit Hanoi’s musical ceiling.

“There really was no music scene there, so we were really overplayed,” says Brittany Graeff. “We hit a wall, and we really couldn’t get any further.”

The Graeffs moved back to Sarasota in December and are ready to tackle the music scene.

Born in Syracuse, N.Y., Brittany and Brooke Graeff moved to Sarasota at the age of 12. Both sisters learned to play instruments at a young age, including violin, piano and cello, but they never played together until high school.

“We were out on the lanai, and we just started playing music,” says Brooke Graeff. “It was like, ‘Why haven’t we done this before?’”


To see the interview check out:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=8yXw3L1MJDw - The Sarasota Observer

As Brittany and Brooke Graeff strummed the first notes of an impromptu street performance in Hanoi, Vietnam, dozens of onlookers gathered. The duo stood out in a city with a nonexistent music scene.

There, more than 9,000 miles from their home in Sarasota, the twin sisters were reunited nearly a year ago. They’d spent six years apart traveling abroad, but picked up right where they left off: playing music.

“We each just bought the crummiest instruments,” says Brooke Graeff about the reunion. “But, it didn’t matter. We were just so happy to be playing music again.”

They delved back into songwriting and began playing in local clubs. Within a few months, the sisters had expanded both their repertoire and their fan base until they felt they’d hit Hanoi’s musical ceiling.

“There really was no music scene there, so we were really overplayed,” says Brittany Graeff. “We hit a wall, and we really couldn’t get any further.”

The Graeffs moved back to Sarasota in December and are ready to tackle the music scene.

Born in Syracuse, N.Y., Brittany and Brooke Graeff moved to Sarasota at the age of 12. Both sisters learned to play instruments at a young age, including violin, piano and cello, but they never played together until high school.

“We were out on the lanai, and we just started playing music,” says Brooke Graeff. “It was like, ‘Why haven’t we done this before?’”


To see the interview check out:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=8yXw3L1MJDw - The Sarasota Observer