CD Only release from Rum Bar Records. CD includes fold out Poster of original album cover design by Glenn Robinson.
Hi-def Digital release formats & other variants available from Brad Marino:
bradmarino.bandcamp.com
Vinyl available on Sioux Records:
siouxguitars.com/records/
"Brad Marino, the wildly prolific favorite pop punk son of New Hampshire, continues his love affair with powerful melodies, singalong choruses, and an affinity for The Ramones on his latest LP. Grin & Bear It, like Marino’s previous efforts, perfectly combines charged up punk rock with the pop brilliance of 1960’s girl groups and musicians like Buddy Holly for an irresistible mix." - John B Moore, New Noise Magazine
"You can never go wrong sampling the latest from Rum Bar Records, as evidenced by this collection of garage and power pop from New Englander Brad Marino." - The legendary Jim Testa
"As long as Marino treads the boards, old school rock & roll values of melody, riff, and spice will never die." - Michael "Denim" Toland
"Grin and Bear It is the title of Brad Marino’s new album, which features 12 songs that encompass Rock n’ Roll, Punk Rock, and Power Pop. There are moments in life when you simply have to give up and accept the situation. His ability to write great new music using the classic rock and roll template is really impressive. Highly Recommended." - Power Popaholic
"Brad Marino continues his love affair with powerful melodies, singalong choruses, and an affinity for The Ramones on 'Grin & Bear It.'" - New Noise
"Brad Marino has made another great album. This guy does not seem to be able to go wrong." - Woot
"This is more of a full-fledged album compared to Basement Beat, his last album, a furious guitar-centered jam. These songs are more fully formed and go past the three minute mark. Brad’s mining the same blues-based, Rosetta Tharpe-based bedrock of blues, reminiscent of Arthur Alexander. Natalie Sweet lends her voice to CD bonus track “Over My Head,” a fast-moving circus train that’s over all too soon." - Bloody Red Baron, Pop Geek Heaven
"It's no news flash that a new Brad Marino album is something I would be excited about. Marino has authored two albums that ranked #3 on my year-end lists, and today he releases another one that's gonna be way up there. Brad Marino as a singer, songwriter, and guitar player represents everything that's great about rock 'n' roll. For this release, he has written some smash hits and mixed in a few covers that fit the album perfectly. If rockin' pop tunes are your thing, Brad Marino is your man. Compact discs are available from your home of the hits, the mighty Rum Bar Records!" - Lord Rutledge
"Grin & Bear It maintains the, um, connection through a series of energized, tuneful gems, from the synth-spiced kiss-off “First Stone” and the bouncy Bobby Fuller cover “Another Sad and Lonely Night” to the hard candy popster “I’m Broke” and the balls-out rocker title track. Marino has a great ear for a tune and the perfect voice to deliver it, and assembles an excellent crew of pros ‘n’ pals to perform it – including most, if not all, of the Connection." - The Big Takeover
"Consistently catchy, insistent, and redolent of 60s rock ‘n’ roll (“Lucy” even dips its toe into Beatlemania) the highlights here include two co-writes with Marino’s longtime running buddy Kurt Baker, and a power-pop gem (think “That Thing You Do”) featuring Geoff Palmer and Joe King of The Queers. The intro to “(She’s) Doing Her Thing” suggests T-Rex glam before finding a garagey groove with a spirited Farfisa and joyous harmony background vocals. Nice." - Off Shelf
"Adrenaline Soaked Power Pop. Get Brad Marino's Grin & Beat It. The title track gets things off to a rockin’ start. A surprisingly diverse selection follows with highlights, plentiful. The slide guitar intro on “Up and Up” brings us to a very catchy melody. The Beatle-esque “Hung Up” is a lovely piece of British Invasion style pop while “Looking Then” is a humorous piece of adrenaline soaked, Nerves-like power pop.
Kurt Baker shows up on “I’m Broke”, as rockin’ a track as you’ll likely hear this year. That said, it’s the infectious “Lucy” that gets the nod here. Great harmonies, killer keyboards and an unforgettable chorus make this one truly special." - Richard Rossi's Power Pop News
"With Grin & Bear It Brad Marino has delivered another great pop-rock album. Had he been born circa 1945, he would have been in the forefront of the U.S.' best pop bands of the 1960s or circa 1955 with the best of the powerpop or punkrock bands of the 1970s, competing with the best coming out of the U.K. at the time. Grin & Bear It is an album that is filled with great songs, containing catchy melodies, clever riffs, short punchy solo's, beautiful harmonies, sweet keyboard melodies, in short, all that a great pop song needs to stick. This album is one of the finer modern rock and roll albums you will hear this year." - WoNo Blog
"It’s a no brainer, folks. If quality power pop is your bag, this needs to be in your collection. Big grins all round. Whether it’s the Slade-tinged title track, or the slide infused ‘Up And Up’, this is poptastic stuff. Crafting great power pop isn’t easy, but Brad has a knack with it, and none is finer than ‘Hung Up’, with its Rickenbacker-friendly melody. You’ll be “ooh”ing along in no time, perhaps due to it being one of two collaborations with Kurt Baker. They really are made for each other, musically speaking. ‘(She’s) Doing Her Thing’ settles in your head like an old friend, in a Flamin’ Groovies style. ‘Lucy’ rattles by, complete with castanets, like Ramones on a sugar high. ‘Looking Then’ is worthy of Paul Collins, and Brad throws the kitchen sink at ‘Another Sad And Lonely Night’, but it pays off, with contributions from members of the “New England Mafia”, Joe Queer and Geoff Palmer." - RPM Online
"You were absolutely right regarding the latest Brad Marino album. Had it on repeat the last week and can’t stop. This 12 song rock-it ride is guilty on all counts of infectious power hooks, muscle melody and powered by an all star crew. To finish with a greasy slice of Stones pie is too much! I surrender! Amazing creativity and one of the best albums of this or any year! Thanks again Lou, made my day!" - Rock Never Rusts
"What more can be said about Grin And Bear It that hasn’t been said about Brad Marino before? The record firmly establishes Marino at the pinnacle of the punky powerpop’n’roll scene. His songwriting appears effortless on this new batch of songs, yet it carries a distinct sense of inspiration. What I love most about the new LP is how much fun it is to listen to. It really is that straightforward. It rocks, it rolls and boasts an irresistible catchy sound. Twenty years or so in his career, there is zero sign of regression or wear in Brad Marino’s music. Tip of the hat to you, Brad!" - Add To Want List
"Grin & Bear It is another stone cold gem of three-chord pop rock 'n' roll. Within three seconds of "Back Again" kicking off, you just know you're listening Brad Marino. Once again, Marino manages to deliver killer tunes that have the style and spirit of early-to-mid '60s rock 'n' roll without coming off consciously "retro." The earworm title track dispenses essential life advice and red-hot guitar work. If aliens came to our planet and asked you what Brad Marino sounds like, you'd play them "Up and Up." The Kurt Baker–penned "Hung Up" is pure '60s pop — sounding like the second hit The Wonders could have had. "Looking Then" channels poppy Ramones and tells a relatable story about a faded beauty. "I'm Broke," a Marino/Baker co-write, is a mega-catchy rocker that brings back memories of The New Trocaderos. Marino puts so much of his own style into the Rolling Stones' unreleased track "She's Doing Her Thing" that you might mistake it for one of his originals (I know I sure did!). Marino also has at the Bobby Fuller Four classic "Another Sad and Lonely Night" and totally smashes it." - Faster And Louder
"One of the many attractions of Brad Marino’s songs is the guitar work. The slide work in “Up and Up” is a nice change up. The 12-String work in “Hung Up” is killer. That’s a Kurt Baker song too. Almost every song has a short, well thought out, ripping solo and choice fills. The title song “Grin & Bear It” has a distinctive halting choppy verse, a simple but effective trick. It catches your attention and you welcome the flowing chorus sections. The songs all are arranged with tricks like that give the tracks individuality and their hooks. “Another Sad and Lonely Night” is a Bobby Fuller cover. Brad does service to Rolling Stones fans by rescuing “Doing Her Thing” an unreleased 1967 song and doing it up. It’s like an art restoration. He follows that by covering later Stones with “Monkey Man” to close out the album." - Boston Groupie News
"The man is back! Brad Marino is set to release a new album called Grin and Bear It this fall. Out today is "Lucy," the first single from the new record. For this track, he's mining the gold of classic '60s pop. Marino's ability to write fantastic new material in this old school rock n' roll style is quite impressive. "Lucy" manages to evoke the joy and timelessness of oldies radio without trying too hard to be "retro." This track is a total earworm with instant sing-along appeal. This song is a stone cold hit!" - Lord Rutledge
"The stuff Brad puts out is absolutely great!" - Rock Never Rusts
"More music by Brad Marino is always welcome. The New Hampshire singer-guitarist manages to contain his favourite music in around two minutes each song and give you the idea to listen to a song at least a minute longer. It contains it all. Verse-chorus-bridge-solo and always catchy from the get go. Lucy is one of them." - WoNo Blog
"It has all the Marino trademark characteristics. It is a rolling power pop pleaser that has the attitude and vocabulary of an earlier time in rock. He even has a few “shoo-bops” near the end. This song works on us like a spell. We get lost in it right up to that last chord the plings out slowly." - Boston Groupie News
Sometimes in life you just have to “Grin and Bear It”. Which is the title of Brad Marino's new album. 12 songs covering Rock n Roll/Punk Rock and Power Pop.
The album features the entire “New England Mafia” a term Little Steven coined when referring to the various members of The Connection, Kurt Baker Band circle who all play live and record together.
released November 3, 2023
Brad Marino - Vocals, Guitars, Bass, Percussion
Kris "Fingers" Rodgers - Keys
Bobby Davis - Trumpet
Zach Sprague - Drums 12
Craig Sala - Drums 1, 2, 3, 10, 11
Geoff Palmer - Bass 6, 7, 8, 9
Kurt Baker - Bass 4, Vox 4, 9
Joe King - Back Up Vox 8
Songs 1, 2, 3, 5, 6, 7 written by Brad Marino
Song 4 written by Kurt Baker
Song 8 written by Bobby Fuller
Song 9 written by Baker/Marino
Song 10 written by Jagger/Richards
Produced by Brad Marino
Mixed by Mike Kennerty
Mastered by Justin Perkins at the world famous "Mystery Room Mastering"
Design & Layout by Glenn Robinson
Photography by City Marino
