There’s a documentary about Tim Z. Hernandez, a writer who spent over a decade chasing down the names of passengers who died in a California plane crash. Those folks were written off as “deportees” in newspapers, but Woody Guthrie turned their story into a poem that later became a song covered by Johnny Cash, Joan Baez, and Bruce Springsteen. Hernandez wrote two books about them – All They Will Call You and They Call You Back – and got their names read aloud at the California State Capitol. A monument now stands where a simple marker used to be at a mass grave in Fresno. A feature film and documentary are in the works. Hernandez wrote some lyrics for the project and handed them to Grumbeaux to turn into a song. That’s how “Now Is Near” was born.
And what a birth it is. This track is old folk mixed with goth, prog, glam, and punk – all at once – with a rhythm section that actually matters. That’s not hype. You can feel that weird, beautiful collision in the track. It’s not a straight-up rocker, but it’s got teeth. The groove is deep, the atmosphere is thick, and the whole thing moves with a confidence that only comes from a band that knows exactly what they’re doing.
The song’s core is heavy – literally and emotionally. It’s about remembering people who were erased, about giving names back to the nameless. The music carries that weight without buckling. It’s not a dirge; it’s a celebration of sorts, a middle finger to the idea that anyone should be forgotten. The rhythm section drives it forward, and the vocals deliver the story with conviction. There’s a theatrical edge here, a sense that this is more than a tune. It’s a piece of history set to a beat.
“Now Is Near” is out now. If you care about music that means something, that digs into the past and drags it kicking and screaming into the present, give this a spin. Grumbeaux have made something rare: a rock song with a soul and a mission. Don’t sleep on it.