NEW GRENADA

New Grenada was started in early 2000 by John Nelson and Nick Pallos (formerly of Cloud Car) and Plumline Records founders Nicole Allie and Mike Chavarria. A grueling train ride home from a trip to Nova Scotia (where Cloud Car performed at Halifax on Music) inspired John and Nicole to start writing songs together.

While Nicole honed her bass playing skills, John got together for a day of 4 tracking with his friend from art school, Shawn Knight. Shawn, who had been involved in several noise projects, found the pop direction refreshing. Unfortunately, Shawn was headed to Connecticut to start a new job/new life, and wasn't able to partake in any New Grenada activities (for a while).

Over the next several months, New Grenada played the occasional show, and recorded many songs, including a few with Brendan Benson. Eventually Shawn would return from Connecticut, eager to step in where he left off. Coincidentally, Mike would abandon the band to spend more time engineering and producing various Detroit hip hop groups (including D-12), and Nick would move to Los Angeles to pursue film making. After stints with several drummers, NG finally stabilized their lineup by enlisting Dave Melkonian of Detroit band Ten Words For Snow.

The young band toured the U.S. in the summer of 2002, to support their debut release 'The Open Heart,' and again in 2003/04 to support the follow up EP 'Hot War.'

2005 was another busy year, as Asaurus Records released the home-recorded masterpiece 'Parting Shots,' and Melodic Virtue released the iTunes exclusive EP 'More Nature.'

In early 2006 New Grenada recorded with Steve Albini at Electrical Audio in Chicago. The sessions would result in their 3rd full length 'Modern Problems' which was released by Contraphonic in June 2006. Over the years, the band has been fortunate to play shows with the likes of Aloha, Bangs, Cursive, The Hold Steady, Imperial Teen, Rainer Maria, Thunderbirds Are Now!, French Kicks, and The Walkmen, establishing themselves as contenders from the Detroit rock underground.