Tuesday, September 6, 2011

Grouplove - Never Trust a Happy Song


01. Itchin' On A Photograph
02. Tongue Tied
03. Lovely Cup
04. Colours
05. Slow
06. Naked Kids
07. Spun
08. Betty's Bomb Shell
09. Chloe
10. Love Will Save Your Soul
11. Cruel And Beautiful World
12. Close Your Eyes And Count To Ten

Despite the nudge-nudge connotations of their name, it appears the love this California-based Anglo-American quintet feel for each other is entirely platonic (except in the case of their two singers, Hannah Hooper and Christian Zucconi). So there goes the one element that would have distinguished them from Best Coast and other bands producing similarly sunny-day alt-pop. Hooper has spoken of "heavy content" simmering beneath the elated rush of guitar and keyboards, but any heaviness is only glancingly alluded to ("The colours you had, no need to be sad, it really ain't that bad," Zucconi twitters despondently on Colours). Mostly, their debut album offers many reasons to be cheerful, such as Chloe's cute rockabilly twist, the ukulele that kicks off Spun and the hazy, MGMT-ish nostalgia of Naked Kids. What it lacks in originality it makes up for in sweet vibes, which may not keep Grouplove going for ever, but is enough for the moment...www.guardian.co.uk

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