Stream: The Growlers, ‘Problems III’

Kevin Bronson on July 27th, 2018

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A little more than a week out from their seventh annual Beach Goth festival, lovable DIY cutups the Growlers have released a new album … as if releasing a new album would get somebody to mention the seventh annual Beach Goth Festival … which is going off Sunday, Aug. 5, at L.A. State Historic Park and features the Voidz, the Drums, Jonathan Richman and the lovable DIY cutups themselves … as if mentioning the seventh annual Beach Goth festival might get somebody to buy tickets … which are $66 plus an outrageous fee and available here.

Good thing we won’t fall for that seventh annual Beach Goth festival scheme.

The album is titled “Casual Acquaintances” and by the band’s own admission it is a collection of “demos, works-in-progress and other unfinished business from the band’s ‘City Club’ sessions.” And if you are looking for a cohesive statement like that 2016 Julian Casablancas-produced album, you probably won’t find it in this odds-and-sods release. Still, even beyond Growlers fans (who would drink Brooks Nielsen’s bath water, which was the only thing that wasn’t on sale the past two weeks at their pop-up store), there’s a lot to like about “Casual Acquaintances” and its shambolic charm, a throwback to the O.C. outfit’s early days. It was produced by the band’s Nielsen and Matt Taylor (and released on the band’s own new label) and buzzes with warped synths, prickly guitars and pricklier lyrics. In other words, vintage Growlers rock ’n’ droll. “Problems III” was announced as the lead single, and it’s a fine reminder of the sound that made the Growlers so appealing in the first place. For our money, “Pavement” is the quintessential beach goth song, though. Sharp observations, delivered by lovable DIY cutups.

||| Stream: “Problems III”