One of the best neo-post-punk bands to emerge from the indie rock landscape in the wake of
MGMT's success, Los Angeles'
Grouplove brought catchy, buoyant melodicism to their 2011 debut,
Never Trust a Happy Song. The band's sophomore follow-up, 2013's
Spreading Rumours, is an equally kaleidoscopic if more focused album that retains all of the touchstones that made their previous release so engaging. We still get the dual lead vocals of guitarist Christian Zucconi and keyboardist Hannah Hooper, as well as the infectious percussive rhythms via drummer Ryan Rabin, guitarist Andrew Wessen, and bassist Sean Gadd. Produced by Rabin (the son of
Yes guitarist
Trevor Rabin),
Spreading Rumours features a set of supremely catchy songs that walk the line between
the Flaming Lips' bubbly psych rock and
Smashing Pumpkins' '90s alt crunch. However, where
Smashing Pumpkins built their sound around yearning, often darkly emotional lyrics,
Grouplove make joyful, positive-minded rock. These guys are permagrin fruitboots who play with such frenetic optimism you can hear the smiles in their voices. As they sing on "Hippy Hill," "I'd rather be the dying than the rising sun/I'd rather leave my spirit for everyone" and "I'd rather be a hippie than a hipster." When the group's democratic bubblegum pop free-for-all works, as on the anthemically ballsy single "Borderlines & Aliens" and the rambling "What I Know," the results are euphoric, making their joy not just compelling but infectious. [
Spreading Rumours was also released on CD.] ~ Matt Collar