The Growlers, now on their fourth album Chinese Fountain, have claimed this to be their ‘most polished’ release to date. They’re kind of like these grungy LA hipsters that constantly release a stream of sick music, host their own festival in LA each year, and just generally jam over at Venice Beach.
Their sound very much falls into the subgenre of ‘Beach Goth’ (which coincidentally is what their festival is called) – known for its country, surf, pop and rock strains. Their best attribute is vocalist Brooke Neilsen’s amazingly brilliant gravelly and unmistakable voice.
‘Black Memories’, is a nice little moment, sounding a little like the ‘funk’ (for lack of a better word) of the early Police records. ‘Dull Boy’ is another one worth a listen, with its bouncy, walking down the freeway vibes, ‘Good Advice’ follows in a similar fashion.
Their previous standout tracks like ‘One Million Lovers’, ‘Humdrum Blues’ and ‘Hiding Under Covers’ are actually all on a different level from all of the tracks on Chinese Fountain. The album does pick up near the middle though, but nothing quite beats those previous gems. The lyrics remain wise and insightful, telling real stories of their human endeavours with love, their own minds and the world in general.
That said, The Growlers are in short, everything that a band should be. Their music is flawlessly rough around the edges, incredibly melodic yet filled with hooks and spirit. There was quite literally no need to slather it in lack polish - a psychedelic infused slice of raw Americana that needn't have been tampered with.
