This week for free friday: two downloads from the band Seluah. Band member Edward Grimes took a moment to chat about Seluah’s most recent album Red Parole below.
To download click this: 
button on the right side of the player below, or at the top middle of the player on the soundcloud page.
“Hell and Back” on Red Parole by Seluah
“Killing the Angels” on Red Parole by Seluah
The 22 Magazine: For those readers who might not know your work, would you give me a brief history of how this current incarnation of the band formed?
Edward Grimes: We’ve known each other since we were kids practically…. We all played in bands together but Seluah was finally a band where we felt a strong sense of identity of what we were doing… Seluah started around 2000 and the lineup has been the same since 2002 when I came aboard…
22: What were some of your first musical inspirations?
EG: Probably bands like Black Sabbath, Cream and Led Zeppelin…. Such strong musicianship obviously, but these bands were kind of the first to really blare it through the loudest amps and PA systems possible, and we’ve always felt that was just a watershed moment for music…. There was just a loud desperate vitality to that sound that so many of us have chased since.
22: I was interested to see Kevin Ratterman worked on this album as My Morning Jacket was one of the first influences that came to mind when I listened to Red Parole. It’s been mentioned that this album is heavier and broader than some of your previous albums. Do you think that’s the case?
EG: My Morning Jacket had no influence on us whatsoever, but both bands have been friends with, and firm believers of Kevin Ratterman, who’s just become a monster engineer. Red Parole is most certainly heavier and broader than our EP. These songs reflect an early decision for this to be a guitar driven record that hopefully could sound as heavy and menacing as possible. A lot of this has to do with life kicking us around a little during the six years we were apart, and then resuming out of nowhere. At that point, and with a little more money to throw at recording, we were hellbent to make the record of our lives.
22: You mentioned working with a lot of analog gear when recording with Kevin? Are you guys normally analog guys? If not why for this album?
EG: We trust what Kevin wants to do for the most part, and we know from experience he gets a great sound from both digital and analog but for this record, all five of us were thrilled to finally get the bass and drums to tape and get a huge sound we’d always been chasing.
22: Did you guys record this album in 2 weeks?
EG: A little under actually, about 10 days…
22: Why did you guys decide to do this project after a 6-year hiatus? What’s been going on in those 6 years?
EG: We got back together after Andy moved back home and we were able to. It was just a very natural thing for us, and as quickly as we were writing new material and having a blast playing again, a few months passed and we were invited to open for Maserati by some friends here that have a club. During those six years we were working our jobs and playing in other bands as well.
22: The women’s vocals are a particularly interesting touch on this album since you guys are an all male band. Can you tell me a little about these ladies and why you chose them for the project?
EG: My sister Rachel Grimes sings with me on two songs on the record. We needed to call on a few friends to make the record and she was one of them. Growing up together, then playing in band together, it was fun to finally get an opportunity to sing together. I knew I wanted to spend a lot of time on the vocals for the record, and those songs I really wanted a female vocal harmony present. I LOVE the way it turned out.
22: Who thought of the name Seluah? Why? How? And Red Parole? What’s the story on that?
EG: Seluah refers to a sirenesque tale from the Middle East that a guy told us about years ago. Red Parole is from the song The Other Side of The Gun and kind of encapsulates a revenge theme on the record we were exploring.
22: You mention a keen affection for movie scores. Have you guys recorded for any movies? If you could score one movie (existing or no) what would it be?
EG: We just recently scored The Unknown live before an audience and that was a blast. We wrote a lot of new music for it, and it was a big challenge we worked very hard on. I think if either Nicolas Refn, David Lynch or Alejandro Jodorowsky knocked, we would answer.
22: What are your future plans for the band? New albums? Shows?
EG: We’re about half way through writing a new record and are still actively pursuing touring and licensing. We’re also involved with finding or creating unique shows for us to play in the meantime.
The 22 Magazine 