Californian quintet Grouplove have not stopped to breathe since their inception in 2009. They’ve supported the likes of The Joy Formidable, Two Door Cinema Club and Florence + The Machine and played at Lollapalooza, Glastonbury and Optimus Alive Festival (Portugal). They’ve gathered momentum in Australia thanks to Triple J’s constant playing of their singles ‘Colours,’ ‘Naked Kids’ and ‘Itchin’ On A Photograph,’ and now their debut album Never Trust A Happy Song has been released (complete with a fantastic album cover painted by keyboardist/vocalist Hannah Hooper).
Never Trust A Happy Song is proof that Grouplove have the talent and originality to back up their buzz. With simple, solid song-writing, strong vocals and a mastery of dynamics, there is nothing novel or gimmicky about this album. However, their creativity is evident in their ability to surprise with transitions and pieces, such as syncopated hand-claps and choir-like harmonies tacked on in the middle or at the end of upbeat, rockier songs (which totally works somehow).
While Grouplove’s sound predominantly fits into the indie-rock genre, Never Trust A Happy Song shows a great amount of variety. ‘Itchin’ On A Photograph’ features some glorious wailing (and towards the end, scratchy yelping) courtesy of lead vocalist Christian Zucconi. ‘Tongue Tied’ works the hard-hitting drums, gang vocals and dance-inducing synths — not to mention keyboardist Hannah Cooper’s sassy spoken-sung middle-eight part. ‘Naked Kids’ is the quintessential fun, cheeky summer song that celebrates youth. Then there’s the ethereal, shoegaze-tinged ‘Slow’ (sung by Cooper), with its compelling repeated refrain, frenetic electric drums, chimes and synth tones running up and down — and while it doesn’t stray from its main chord structure, lots of subtle sounds weave their way in and out to keep it interesting. The aptly-named ‘Cruel And Beautiful World’ is a folk song, a despairing waltz, with a stunning three-part harmony. The album’s concluding track, ‘Close Your Eyes And Count To Ten,’ perfectly contrasts a quieter, heartfelt verse with a more raucous chorus, incorporating literal howls (think kids imitating wolves).
Never Trust A Happy Song is an impressive, well-crafted first offering from Grouplove, who will surely continue to garner more fans and praise as they go along.
– Stephanie-Bowie Liew
