Little Record is the debut EP released by Ocean Grove in mid February. Ocean Grove consists of New Jersey native Greg Garbowsky on bass, Penn state alum John Taylor on guitar and vocals, another Jersey boy, Jack Lawless on drums and the funky man from Minnesota, Ryan Liestman on keyboard. While this may sound like an interesting pairing of sorts, the Jonas Brothers are what brought them together as a band. While the name Ocean Grove may sound new to many, the faces are most likely familiar, they are the band that have been supplying the supporting music for the Jonas Brothers. While they do have ties with the Jonas Brothers and have performed with them for years, they have their own music and their own style that is beautifully illustrated with this EP.

The first track, “I Want You In Love” is around 3 minutes of nicely paced catchy guitar riffs and even catchier lyrics. It sets the pace of the EP and shows that Ocean Grove means business and is ready to step out of the shadow of the Jonas Brothers and emerge as a their own musical entity.

The EP then transitions into “Dream Date”, a song that was originally written by the lead singer and guitarist John Taylor years ago. This track begins slower than the previous track, but gains energy throughout the various sections of the song. As the title suggests, this song is about a dream date that does not run smoothly or have a picture perfect ending.

“Our House” is the first song released by Ocean Grove before the EP dropped onto iTunes. This song is a fast-paced introduction to Ocean Grove and is a tune about a happy couple living in their new house. As the story progresses it tells a story of young love that has developed and matured.

Next up is “Grab Your Coat”, another nicely paced love song with a catchy melody and beat. The lyrics detail what can be imagined to be a man who has more or less wooed a woman and they went out to have a good time. This song has a slightly different feel than the others that preceded it; it has a more of a groove to it and just makes you want to dance in your chair or car.

Last on the EP is “We’re Still Breathing”, which starts a little odd by detailing that a man walks into a room and there is a woman eating a tangerine while listening to music about a yellow submarine. After that, the song picks up into a catchy chorus about how he daydreams about them together. All together, this is my favorite track, despite the odd introduction the song is very energetic, fun, and enjoying to hear.

I thoroughly enjoyed this EP, and feel as though Ocean Grove hit this one out of the park. This was an excellent first effort and the EP’s and albums to come will highlight their talents even more. It is hard to step out of the shadows, and be recognized for perfecting your art, rather than be recognized for your famous friends, but Greg, John, Jack and Ryan of Ocean Grove are doing just that.