Pomegranate

Just a warning: Listening to Pomegranate’s cohesive, textured collection of alternative-rock songs as featured on the band’s latest EP, Ahead and Behind, might not be the best preparation for one of the band’s diverse, high-energy live shows.

“We visit all of those different flavors in our live shows,” says drummer Michael Creason. “A punk song can sit next to a country song can sit next to a roots song can sit next to a jazzy-style song.”

The songs on the EP, however, are spacious and moody, built around subtly complex arrangements, midtempo beats and raw guitar work—all with a ’90s vibe that falls somewhere between a polished Dinosaur Jr. album and the Lemonheads’ later work.

Originally formed in 1993 in Oakland, Pomegranate, whose members now call Sacramento home, watched as a majority of the acts around them broke up. Instead of following suit, the band stuck it out, grounded by its love of playing.

“We’re not looking to become rock stars. It’s about the music. It’s about enjoyment,” says the band’s lead vocalist and guitarist Gavin Canaan.

OK, so it’s easy for a band to claim they aren’t trying to be rock stars, but in Pomegranate’s case, it’s true. In fact, they almost became the next big thing in the ’90s.

During the band’s first year, as it played shows up and down the West Coast, it found itself approached by several label scouts. Eventually, the group recorded a single and sent it to radio stations. The program director of KCRW in Santa Monica heard it, called the band and invited it to Southern California for an in-studio performance and interview.

Afterward, Pomegranate’s phone started ringing off the hook. The band earned so much buzz, in fact, Billboard magazine featured it on its cover in 1994, naming it one of the top 10 unsigned bands in the country. Eventually, the band landed a deal with Treat & Release (a subsidiary of A&M Records).

“A lot of things happened in a very brief time. It was all very exciting,” Canaan says now. “[But] once you get signed and you’re not a massive success right out of the gate, pretty much everybody sees you as ’been there, done that.’”

The timing for the band was seemingly right—this was an era, after all, during which most labels were on the hunt for “alternative rock” and grunge, thanks to the overwhelming success of Nirvana.

“It seemed so real. It seemed like it was going to happen. It’s such a fantasy world,” says bassist Adam Twain.

Six months after signing with Treat & Release, the label folded—and with it it the frenzy around the band. And so the members of Pomegranate continued, releasing albums on its own.

Obstacles continued to get in the band’s way: Pomegranate’s original drummer quit, and Canaan moved to the United Kingdom for his job. He returned to California in 2009, but in the time between, he and Twain continued to write music.

These days, the band is exclusively stateside and, in some ways, still honing its sound. Even with two decades’ worth of diverse material in its catalog, it’s easy to find a common thread in the band’s subtle, intelligent approach to songwriting.

It’s an approach, Canaan says, that may never find a particularly big mainstream audience.

“I always think that that’s the best music that I like,” Canaan says. “[Music] that I can’t necessarily understand right away.” - Sacramento News & Review

Playing guitar driven pop/rock that lands somewhere in the territory where the moodier side of The Pixies meets Dinosaur Jr, the guys in Pomegranate have an instantly winning sound. This Oakland, California band is comprised of Gavin Canaan (guitar, vocals), Adam Twain (bass, guitar, vocals), and Michael Creason (drums, percussion). If you're bored to tears by too many twenty-first century artists overdubbing and over tweaking their songs to death, Ahead and Behind will come as a welcome surprise. By keeping things simple, these guys manage to get their point across loud and clear. Our favorite cuts are "Set In Motion" and "Corner Of My Eye." - babysue

Bay-area indy rock band Pomegranate have been an institution in California since 1995. It's no wonder then why their latest EP sounds so polished. Their sound is immediately familiar to anyone who was into the alt-rock explosion during the 90s. The three-piece uses jangly, noisy guitars and moody (but not gloomy) lyrics, much like Smashing Pumpkins or the Lemonheads output of the day. A song like “Corner of My Eye” would be a perfect Evan Dando single. “Dustbowl Dreams” has a touch of roots that reminds one of the later works of the Meat Puppets. While the band's overall sound feels a bit dated, the band itself is tight and clearly enjoy what they do. I imagine the band, who tour tirelessly, would be more enjoyable in concert. - Earshot

Among the very best is Pomegranate’s Outside of This (Drainpipe Records). . . . the dreamy pop the band offers is quite compelling . . . the best material consists of slower, moodier pieces, with some emotional loss occurring when the band reaches for faster rhythms, but it’s still good. - Sacramento News and Review

I love the name Pomegranate for a band. Don’t ask me why, but it’s so unassuming and unique. The band itself is not unassuming. Rather, Pomegranate play a style of alternative-rock that heavy on power and fuzzy guitar riffs. It’s not especially unique, to be honest, although not so many bands sound like this anymore. This sound will forever fall into the 1993-1994 sound, epitomized by Alice in Chains, Screaming Trees, Pearl Jam, Smashing Pumpkins, Dinosaur Jr., and others.
Now I’m not saying that Pomegranate sounds like all those other bands exactly, and that’s the beauty of this album. Rather, it is in the same style of loud, angry guitar-driven alternative rock. This is before the whole grunge thing became huge, when bands were playing underground alternative rock, and I loved it. This album, with its loud guitars and very unique, intense vocals, would have fit perfectly in with those bands. But there is a certain beauty here in the textured, layered guitars, the drawled out riffs, the vocals stretching and falling, sounding both soulful and intense, something that works just as well today as it would have worked in ’94.
“Twilight” starts off with fuzzed, wailing guitar lines, all falling comfortably below the vocal levels. And while those vocals drawl the lyrics out, I’m completely reminded of Screaming Trees. “The Death of Me,” however, is more unique, quiet and more subtle, with lighter guitar and a steady, almost synthetic-sounding drum beat. “Necessary Evil” is probably one of my favorite tracks, with a strong bass line, a slower pace, and a moody, ominous feel. But the heavier rock sound comes back with the slightly more soulful “Further Down” and “Kenny’s” is more poppy and playful. “Just For You” has a bit more of a southern feel, with more acoustic guitars and drawled vocals without losing its edgy rock sound, and it’s also one of the most unique songs here. “Tear the Sky” really turns on the crunchy guitars and power-rock feel, and “Wrong Hands” has more of a mainstream, middle-of-the-road rock approach. The closer, “The Sight of You,” is another fantastic song. A quiet, acoustic ballad, this one really showcases both the unique vocals and talented guitar lines. What a great way to end the album.
Pomegranate have been back and forth with some major labels before coming to rest with M-Theory, and it’s easy to hear why labels would want them. Their powerful, alternative rock sound is everything that radio should be playing. Combine the mid-90's alt-rock sound with the sound of bands like Foo Fighters and others, and you get a sense of what Pomegranate sound like. This is cool stuff, catchy and powerful and often moody. - Delusions of Adequacy

For most, the word "pomegranate" conjures up the image of a somewhat normal-looking fruit, but how it looks on the outside has nothing to do with the inside. In short, appearances can be deceiving. Those who listen to Pomegranate's music might agree. "People would describe our music as somewhat bipolar--we go from dark and moody to uplifting all within one set." said Gavin Canaan, guitarist and vocalist for the band.

Formed in the Bay Area, Pomegranate is a three-piece indie rock band composed of Canaan, guitar and vocals; Adam Twain, bass and vocals; and Michael Creason, drums. The band, which has been playing for more than 10 years, has three albums on the shelves and is working on its fourth.

"We are your standard, drum, bass, and guitar but with a whole different sound," Canaan said. "We infuse dark tones with pop elements, something people are often surprised to hear mixed together." From alternative country to rock, Canaan said the band has a fairly broad range of styles it covers. "Some people say we are too diverse when it comes to our style, but that is how we like it," Canaan said. "We just don't fit into one genre."

Even though they have three members, Twain said Pomegranate is not anything like Green Day or Blink 182. "When people hear there are three of us, they immediately think of these power-pop bands and we're not like that," Twain said. "We create a sound that just isn't typical to that of a three-piece band; it's very rich."

From deciding to drop their label and work independently to losing the original drummer in 2005, Pomegranate has faced some troubles. "The music industry can be challenging, but we have just really enjoyed playing," Canaan said. "Many things have happened that would push many bands to stop playing, but we kept going."

Even though the band would not mind support from a record company, Twain said working without a label is something they find useful. "Things just went sour with the original record label. They gave the reigns to the wrong person and she followed her dream rather than ours," Twain said. "Support is nice, but we like having control."

Pomegranate's next stop will be today's Nooner at Sacramento State. At noon, the band will be performing for free in the University Union Redwood Room. "We'ver never played for Sac State, so a new audience should be fun," Canaan said. "This will be good exposure for our band and it will be great for college kids to hear some great music."

For Canaan, who grew up around Sacramento, he says his connection to the area is why he looks forward to performing at Sac State. "Everyone thinks that Sacramento has a plain exterior, but there is a different world under the surface, especially in the art and music world," Cannaan said. "It may not be as big as L.A., but it still has good music and success here."

Playing to a live crowd is something the band really cherishes, Twain said. From concerts to college performances, he said the band enjoys performing to new fans no matter what the venue is. "Good music is hard to come by these days--seeing a band live can be a rare occasion," Twain said. "We find it very important to perform to new people and spread our passion for music." - The State Hornet

For most, the word "pomegranate" conjures up the image of a somewhat normal-looking fruit, but how it looks on the outside has nothing to do with the inside. In short, appearances can be deceiving. Those who listen to Pomegranate's music might agree. "People would describe our music as somewhat bipolar--we go from dark and moody to uplifting all within one set." said Gavin Canaan, guitarist and vocalist for the band.

Formed in the Bay Area, Pomegranate is a three-piece indie rock band composed of Canaan, guitar and vocals; Adam Twain, bass and vocals; and Michael Creason, drums. The band, which has been playing for more than 10 years, has three albums on the shelves and is working on its fourth.

"We are your standard, drum, bass, and guitar but with a whole different sound," Canaan said. "We infuse dark tones with pop elements, something people are often surprised to hear mixed together." From alternative country to rock, Canaan said the band has a fairly broad range of styles it covers. "Some people say we are too diverse when it comes to our style, but that is how we like it," Canaan said. "We just don't fit into one genre."

Even though they have three members, Twain said Pomegranate is not anything like Green Day or Blink 182. "When people hear there are three of us, they immediately think of these power-pop bands and we're not like that," Twain said. "We create a sound that just isn't typical to that of a three-piece band; it's very rich."

From deciding to drop their label and work independently to losing the original drummer in 2005, Pomegranate has faced some troubles. "The music industry can be challenging, but we have just really enjoyed playing," Canaan said. "Many things have happened that would push many bands to stop playing, but we kept going."

Even though the band would not mind support from a record company, Twain said working without a label is something they find useful. "Things just went sour with the original record label. They gave the reigns to the wrong person and she followed her dream rather than ours," Twain said. "Support is nice, but we like having control."

Pomegranate's next stop will be today's Nooner at Sacramento State. At noon, the band will be performing for free in the University Union Redwood Room. "We'ver never played for Sac State, so a new audience should be fun," Canaan said. "This will be good exposure for our band and it will be great for college kids to hear some great music."

For Canaan, who grew up around Sacramento, he says his connection to the area is why he looks forward to performing at Sac State. "Everyone thinks that Sacramento has a plain exterior, but there is a different world under the surface, especially in the art and music world," Cannaan said. "It may not be as big as L.A., but it still has good music and success here."

Playing to a live crowd is something the band really cherishes, Twain said. From concerts to college performances, he said the band enjoys performing to new fans no matter what the venue is. "Good music is hard to come by these days--seeing a band live can be a rare occasion," Twain said. "We find it very important to perform to new people and spread our passion for music." - The State Hornet

Pomegranate offers up some of the most interesting hard rock around on their newest release, Larry Lane. It is rare to hear a band with the ability to deliver both solid musicanship and undeniable hooks. The trio uses its simple setup to deliver an incredible amount of power, channeling the spirit of Screaming Trees and the more sedate side of Stone Temple Pilots. Songs like the featured "Twilight" show just how dedicated this band is to keeping rock and roll alive.

On Larry Lane, Pomegranate presents rock songs along with slower, more sensitive efforts at expressing themselves. From loud distortion to quieter distortion, Pomegranate proves it should be taken seriously. - Epitonic.com

I keep waiting for something really great to happen to Pomegranate. Guitarist Gavin Canaan has a strong indie-rock voice (not to mention a great rock-star name), a blase drawl, plaintive without sounding whiny. Pomegranate's new album Larry Lane, on M-Theory Records, is a dark and delicate pool of bubbling octopus ink, marinating a lot of growling fuzzy guitar and a metaphor-strewn lyrics. - East Bay Express

I keep waiting for something really great to happen to Pomegranate. Guitarist Gavin Canaan has a strong indie-rock voice (not to mention a great rock-star name), a blase drawl, plaintive without sounding whiny. Pomegranate's new album Larry Lane, on M-Theory Records, is a dark and delicate pool of bubbling octopus ink, marinating a lot of growling fuzzy guitar and a metaphor-strewn lyrics. - East Bay Express

Oakland trio Pomegranate offers dusky Alt Rock gold. Singer Gavin Canaan's drowsy voice and low-register anti-theatrics candyflip with his graceful, fluid guitar lines that sting with jolts of contained, melodic electricity. Waltz-metered acoustic pieces, augmented with spooky harmonies and dark shadings, complement full-on electric assaults driven by distorted guitar stuntwork that recalls J Mascis, albeit neater and less Hardcore-based. Backed by a propulsive rhythm section that charges and recedes with dynamic precision, Canaan's weighty songs reveal their unusual beauty . . . crimsoned to the core with sleepy undertones, myseriously alluring riffs, and disguised, ingratiating rhythms. - Listen.com