Grouplove - Spreading Rumours (11/11/2013)
The US band Grouplove has created a wacky new album, Spreading Rumours, which has a mixture of insanity and hard rock anthems.
They have gradually grown over the years with their single Itchin’ On A Photograph and Tongue Tied really getting them credibility in the music industry. The Californian five piece’s previous songs are known for the laid-backed beach summer feel, they are back with the same iconic sound but have transgressed into a few different areas.
The starting track, I’m With You, has one of the most impressive piano pieces that is surprising to find on this Indie outlets album. But the gigantic pull of the song is when the rest of the instruments plunge in. The synths, the heavy percussion, the euphoric vocals. It is difficult to describe this track, there are so many layers. Just its incredible array of different song types in one song makes this track one of the standouts on the album.
Borderlines And Aliens has a much more heavier sound with the guitar walking along the line of heavy rock. The iconic vocals of Christian Zucconi and Hannah Hooper kick through on this rock anthem. Schoolboy seems to hold the fun and childish like sound that you would expect from such a title. The song has an interesting hook with it spurring along at a ridiculously fast pace.
Ways To Go was pre-released as a single. You don’t have to ask why. The sound of the song speaks for itself with it having one of the catchiest chorus’ and it having a tremendous ability to get stuck in people’s heads. Shark Attack has a bit more of an earthy vibe to it with even a little bit of beachy steel drums. However when it kicks off into the chorus, it goes from earthy to mild techno rave.
Sit Still seems to be a bit more laid back than some of their previous songs and showcases some good jungle style beats. While it is indeed a little bit catchy it doesn’t have that something that some of the other tracks have. Hippy Hill is indeed another song that isn’t all that enticing. Not that it’s a bad track, just a mix of the wacky sounds they have been using in their other tracks that just doesn’t seem to work. It walks along the line of slightly alien.
What I Know and Didn’t Have To Go is another of the rock anthems that the band have on this album. Bitin’ The Bullet, Save The Party For Me and News To Me lack something that many of the other songs had. The last four tracks honestly probably didn’t need to be on the album, not that they are unlistenable but it just doesn’t seem to fit on the album. Raspberry is yet another rock ballad with heavy guitar and bass. But is definitely something worth listening to.
While the latest album for Grouplove holds the ideas and iconic sound of stadium anthems and big ballads, the album just doesn’t seem well put together. They mix and match many different genres of music, in some cases it worked well, and some of the tracks are indeed catchy. But some of the others songs just fall under par, with some of the tracks being easy to skip.
Some of the tracks are long and difficult to listen to after half way, especially with the hooks of tracks being hidden. It’s a shame that the Californian outfit have such a messy album. While some of the tracks aren’t as memorable, there are some golden tracks on the album worth listening to.
Elizabeth Alderslade
They have gradually grown over the years with their single Itchin’ On A Photograph and Tongue Tied really getting them credibility in the music industry. The Californian five piece’s previous songs are known for the laid-backed beach summer feel, they are back with the same iconic sound but have transgressed into a few different areas.
The starting track, I’m With You, has one of the most impressive piano pieces that is surprising to find on this Indie outlets album. But the gigantic pull of the song is when the rest of the instruments plunge in. The synths, the heavy percussion, the euphoric vocals. It is difficult to describe this track, there are so many layers. Just its incredible array of different song types in one song makes this track one of the standouts on the album.
Borderlines And Aliens has a much more heavier sound with the guitar walking along the line of heavy rock. The iconic vocals of Christian Zucconi and Hannah Hooper kick through on this rock anthem. Schoolboy seems to hold the fun and childish like sound that you would expect from such a title. The song has an interesting hook with it spurring along at a ridiculously fast pace.
Ways To Go was pre-released as a single. You don’t have to ask why. The sound of the song speaks for itself with it having one of the catchiest chorus’ and it having a tremendous ability to get stuck in people’s heads. Shark Attack has a bit more of an earthy vibe to it with even a little bit of beachy steel drums. However when it kicks off into the chorus, it goes from earthy to mild techno rave.
Sit Still seems to be a bit more laid back than some of their previous songs and showcases some good jungle style beats. While it is indeed a little bit catchy it doesn’t have that something that some of the other tracks have. Hippy Hill is indeed another song that isn’t all that enticing. Not that it’s a bad track, just a mix of the wacky sounds they have been using in their other tracks that just doesn’t seem to work. It walks along the line of slightly alien.
What I Know and Didn’t Have To Go is another of the rock anthems that the band have on this album. Bitin’ The Bullet, Save The Party For Me and News To Me lack something that many of the other songs had. The last four tracks honestly probably didn’t need to be on the album, not that they are unlistenable but it just doesn’t seem to fit on the album. Raspberry is yet another rock ballad with heavy guitar and bass. But is definitely something worth listening to.
While the latest album for Grouplove holds the ideas and iconic sound of stadium anthems and big ballads, the album just doesn’t seem well put together. They mix and match many different genres of music, in some cases it worked well, and some of the tracks are indeed catchy. But some of the others songs just fall under par, with some of the tracks being easy to skip.
Some of the tracks are long and difficult to listen to after half way, especially with the hooks of tracks being hidden. It’s a shame that the Californian outfit have such a messy album. While some of the tracks aren’t as memorable, there are some golden tracks on the album worth listening to.
Elizabeth Alderslade