Grouplove’s biggest break came in 2011 with the release of their single “Tongue Tied.” The song reached no. 1 on Billboard’s US Alternative chart and was featured in a number of high-profile commercials, making the band’s carefree, grainy sound known to the world.
Since then, they have released five more studio albums, diversifying their music somewhat, but retaining the signature tone for which they became known. Their most recent release, “I Want It All Right Now,” continues this trend, throwing a touch of grunge into the still-recognizable texture.
The first track, “All,” opens with a voicemail, presumably from a studio executive criticizing the band’s music.
“Songs have to have a lift, they have to have dynamics, they have to have space,” the voice says.
When the song begins, it has a dense texture featuring busy drums and piano eighth notes that persist almost throughout the entire song. The vocals trade with a distorted saxophone melody, providing variation over the steady instrumentals.
“Malachi” gets gritty with the vocals and guitars, introducing a liberal amount of distortion and punchier drums. It plays with the dynamics, easing off this upper ceiling at times for more subdued sections featuring a clean acoustic guitar and vocals.
“Hello” most clearly calls back to the Grouplove of the 2010s. Crowded instrumentals accompany ensemble vocals that are often slightly out of tune.
In many cases, either of these aspects could make a song less appealing, but Grouplove harnesses them such that they have the opposite effect — a choice that has become something of a signature for them. Rather than muddy the waters, they lend a sense of nonchalance to the tune and make it feel more upbeat and joyful.
On the other side of the coin is “Billie.” The percussion is still somewhat busy, but the harmony takes a more relaxed approach with wide, reverberating block chords and a simpler bassline. Occasional guitar arpeggios appear during the chorus, but remain quiet, subtly building out the sound.
A major contributing factor to Grouplove’s signature hectic sound can be heard on “Billie.” Careful listening will reveal sporadic entrances and exits of various instruments, some of which only stick around for a few notes. A vibraphone, for example, can be heard clearly at the end of the bridge for only a couple beats.
“Cream” takes a radical departure from this sound, embracing a slow and echoey dreampop texture. Resonant synths fade in and out, making the space feel enormous, and the normally-prominent drums take a backseat to the sonic bath of countermelodies.
The album ends with a taste of both idioms on “Wall.” It begins softly, with guitar and vocals, but builds into a louder arrangement with all the Grouplove staples: energetic drums, distorted guitar chords and ardent vocals. At the end, it returns to the guitar/vocal pairing, bringing the album to a relaxed close.
Love them or hate them, one thing that can’t be denied of Grouplove is their consistency. Throughout their tenure, they have found their niche and appear to be sticking to it. This may drive away some listeners who prefer more variation, but they clearly do what they do well enough to garner a devoted audience.
“I Want It All Right Now” is as consistent as any of their music. Listeners will likely either enjoy or disfavor it unilaterally and fans of Grouplove’s previous work will probably fall into the former camp.
