The Growlers — Natural Affair (25th Oct. 2019)
•⊆⊇• Jejich exekuce na poli hudby je provedena s vášní, rozsmyslem a s fantastickým muzikantským základem. The Growlers svým fans na albu „Natural Affair“ deklarují, jak dobře umí rozvětvovat témata a nálady do jiných žánrů, přičemž si zachovávají typický sound labelu „beach goth“, na který jsme zvyklí a uvnitř kterého milujeme zejména vokály Brookse Nielsena. Album má své něžné okamžiky, ale The Growlers také vědí, kdy otočit číselníkem nahoru o několik zářezů a naplnit bujarou chuť městského klubu. Jejich trvalka „Social Man“, pojednávající o Nielsenově pohrdání sociálními médii, je domovem nakažlivého moře groovů a složitě vrstvených nástrojů. Otevírací a titulní skladba alba zajišťuje, že se album rozbalí brilantně a temperamentně. Kytarista Matt Taylor říká: „Mnoho předešlých písní vyznělo na temnější a sentimentálnější vlně, takže jsme se rozhodli udělat něco pozitivnějšího. Všichni jsme si udělali pauzu, sledovali dokument o Spandau Ballet a napsali tento riff, který zněl jako The Groove Line. Tedy více disco energie, jen se snaží udržet funky náladu.“
Location: Dana Point, California, USA
Album release: 25th Oct. 2019
Record Label: Beach Goth Records & Tapes
Duration: 41:21
Tracks:
01 Natural Affair 3:39
02 Long Hot Night (Halfway to Certain) 3:29
03 Pulp of Youth 3:35
04 Social Man 3:29
05 Foghorn Town 3:17
06 Shadow Woman 3:09
07 Truly 3:00
08 Tune Out 4:07
09 Coinstar 3:28
10 Stupid Things 3:51
11 Try Hard Fool 3:11
12 Die and Live Forever 3:08
Review
by Shawn Donohue | October 31, 2019
•⊆⊇• On their sixth studio album, Beach Goth veterans The Growlers continue their patented style of mixing sunshiny electro based pop~rock with darker late~night dance vamps. Natural Affair won’t win over new fans as much as it solidifies what the group does best.
•⊆⊇• The excellent opening title track sets the tone with lines like, “everyone is crazy everywhere/nothing seems fair” before shouting out to special ones as mothers, nature and otherwise, cram the dance floor. The Growlers clear love of early 00’s acts like The Strokes and Arctic Monkeys is distilled through an 80’s pop sensibility throughout the record as hip~shaking dance numbers like “Foghorn Town”, “Stupid Things” and “Die & Live Forever” are just a few examples of the group radiating easy funkiness via an after hour’s neon vibe.
•⊆⊇• “Pulp of Youth” is a bright note which cuts with a light sense of melody while the bass pulse is jacked up for the more ominous-sounding numbers “Social Man” and “Long Hot Night”. Tracks like “Coinstar” and “Truly” slow down a bit to put the focus more on dramatic impulses, but never fully remove their feet from the dance floor.
Less successfully the group dabbles with reggae~light sounds on “Shadow Woman” ending up with thin results while “Try Hard Fool” overloads on ‘80s synth, the group uses this better in moderation. The balance is better on a number like “Tune Out” which does a neat trick of sounding tossed off while dealing with the title act in today’s world, it moves between silliness and seriousness with its lyrics successfully.
•⊆⊇• The band’s style is now well ingrained and Natural Affair continues The Growlers down that unique path which connects the blacked~out windows of hip late~night backroom parties with sandy bright California shores.
About the author: Shawn Donohue:
•⊆⊇• Veteran music writer Shawn Donohue has covered the sound of America for Glide Magazine since 2005. A bass player by trade, when not setting the rhythm for New York City~based Angels and Vagabonds, Shawn writes reviews, interviews and feature articles. He loves chronicling emerging acts, and has followed the ear's affections from the Big Apple to the Crescent City. Some of his all~time favorite albums are The Who’s Quadrophenia, Miles Davis Bitches Brew, and pretty much anything Jack White touches.
•⊆⊇• https://glidemagazine.com/
Also:
GEORGE WILDE
•⊆⊇• http://diymag.com/2019/10/25/the-growlers-natural-affair-album-review
Adam Wilding | Score: ★★★★½
•⊆⊇• https://themusic.com.au/reviews/the-growlers-natural-affair-adam-wilding/V6FDS0pNTE8/
Website: http://thegrowlers.com/home/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/thegrowlers
FB: https://www.facebook.com/losGrowlers/
Studio Albums:
• Are You In or Out? (October 6, 2009), Everloving Records
• Hot Tropics (June 15, 2010), Everloving Records
• Hung at Heart (January 22, 2013), Everloving Records (US), FatCat Records (UK & Europe), Smack Face Records (Australia & New Zealand)
• Chinese Fountain (September 23, 2014), Everloving Records (US), FatCat Records (UK & Europe), Smack Face Records (Australia & New Zealand)
• City Club (September 30, 2016), Cult Records (US/EU)
• Natural Affair (25th Oct. 2019), Beach Goth Records & Tapes