Just when the world needs them most, the Grip Weeds have returned to put the Soul back in order.

Formed in 1988 by brothers Kurt (drums and vocals) and Rick Reil (guitar and vocals), the band has long excelled at taking the sounds of the past and propelling them into the future. Through numerous releases, and through recording and touring with the likes of Mark Lindsay, the Grip Weeds have always crafted a sound that feels both new and familiar.

Their new album, ‘Soul Bender,’ continues that path forward. Joined by guitarist Kristin Pinell (who is also Kurt Reil’s wife) and bassist Dave DeSantis, the band sounds and feels like a group enjoying the process of finding new ways to speak and sing ideas in the present moment, while still sitting comfortably alongside their previous work.

Kurt Reil discusses all this and more via email.

“The 60s is a common touchstone for us as a band.”

How did this new album, ‘Soul Bender,’ come about?

Kurt Reil: Our original plan in 2020 was to make an album of original material, but the pandemic had other ideas, and only Kristin and I could work in the same room. We started recording and quickly realized we didn’t want to do an album of originals remotely, since we couldn’t work together face to face. So we decided to make DiG, which was a covers album and a little easier and safer to do that way.

JEM Records was looking for a new release around 2023, and we considered putting out a compilation of newly recorded older songs that we could finish quickly. But we also had a bunch of new material that really interested us, so the album became a mixture of older and new songs.

How would you say the band’s creative process has changed through the years?

It has become much more open, both toward the music and toward each other. We are more focused on the song itself and how we can make it something beautiful in its own right. There is more respect in every direction.

You and your brother both write and produce on your own. How was this new album recorded?

It was recorded using The House of Vibes in Highland Park, NJ as our home base, but a lot was done at HOV North in Saranac Lake, NY. We have a place there with a studio in it. Rick also did some work in his studio in NYC and Massachusetts. We consider Grip Weeds records to be produced by the band, but I do most of the engineering. I mix the albums with Rick’s involvement. Sometimes he sets up a mix and I finish it, but he always gets to comment and make suggestions on every mix.

Where did the title ‘Soul Bender’ come from?

I wrote a song while riding my bike in Saranac Lake. I got back, recorded it on my phone, and then started translating what was in my head to the guitar. I was playing an electric guitar and looked down at my feet, where some pedals were set up. One was the SoulBender fuzz by Fulltone. I added that to my set of “dummy” lyrics and mumbled the rest. I played the demo for Kristin, and she loved not only the song but also the use of “Soul Bender.” I probably would have dropped that phrase when I worked on the lyrics, but instead I made it the centerpiece. It is like another word for “mind bender,” and a lot of meaning can be given to it.

The lyrics came out of a poem I wrote after a show we did in NYC, and the next day I saw a documentary on The Velvet Underground. Somehow the gig and the film converged in my mind, and I made a connection. I free-wrote a poem about it and used that as the basis for the Soul Bender lyrics. At some point it became clear to us that this was a great title for the album, and the song a great opener.

How has the working relationship changed over the years between you and your brother?

There is a lot of consistency in how we relate to each other that goes back to our childhood, but I think it has become more respectful, honest, and even protective over the years. We both realize how lucky we are to have worked together for so long and to have it still function so well.

What are some of your favorite songs on this new album?

It is hard for me to answer that because “they are all my children.” That said, I am really pleased with ‘Someone In Love,’ because it was my first song and I think I finally got it right as a composition. We also did a great recording of it. I think ‘Gene Clark (Broken Wing)’ came out really well. That was a surprise. I like the simplicity of ‘Spinning the Wheel.’ It sounds just like we sound, and it was a breeze to record.

What does each member of the band bring to the group?

Kristin brings great musical ability and flexibility to translate ideas I throw to her, and she is also a composer of great guitar lines. Dave is a natural bassist, and working with him is easy. He comes prepared and records with a minimum of fuss and takes. Rick is a great writer and musician who provides the glue for the music I bring to the band.

What did you learn from working with Mark Lindsay?

I learned everything from Mark. He is a great singer, and he shared with me many of the techniques he had learned over his lifetime. He made me a better singer for sure. I worked with him in the studio for years and absorbed his knowledge of 60s recording techniques, which he openly shared with me. Live, he made us a better band as we backed him at large venues across the country.

The Grip Weeds have always been influenced by the sounds of the 1960s, yet you have found a way to make this sound your own. Is that something you think about, or is it more organic?

I think it is organic, because we are music fans and listen to a wide variety of sounds. The 60s is a common touchstone for us as a band. We modeled our group on those bands, but it has always been important to us to be of our own time while reflecting the quality and values of the music we love. The songs we write are based on our life experiences, and even if sometimes we reference older music, it is always through a prism of the present.

What instruments do you write on, and do you ever write a song on drums?

Many times songs come to me in my head while running, and I grab a guitar to work out the chords. I have written songs on piano and drums too. ‘Speed of Life’ was written on drums. The rhythm, and sometimes the drum part, is part of the “head writing” I do. I hear the whole song in my head. What is hard is holding onto that while translating it into reality on the guitar. My productions are usually guided by that initial head arrangement. That said, there are times when I grab a guitar or a keyboard, start playing, and something new comes out.

What is next for touring plans?

We will be doing some shows in New England in September, and there are other things happening in NY and NJ, but it is too soon to announce them. I would like to do more touring, but it is so expensive.

Okay, you get access to the Tardis for a day (in Earth time). What would you like to go back and see?

I would like to go back to London in 1966 and hang out at the Ad Lib Club to see who walks in. Or meet up with Mark Lindsay on Sunset Strip in 1967 and soak it all up.