Grouplove - Healer (Review)
The sound of a band flailing...
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13th March 2020
Atlantic
My Rating:
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1.7
/10
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REVIEW
The sound of a band flailing for a hint of the appeal that drove them to success with their first albums, but utterly failing to deliver on either the cutesy lyrics or the charged indietronica instrumentals. Unfortunately then, this isn't so much a band healing as it is unsuccessfully patching itself up with used bandages and alcohol. It doesn't work, and they don't seem to be able to spin it into an interesting story either (think the tension that characterised late era Beatles releases).
The frustrating thing is, despite my lack of any expectations for this album whatsoever, the instrumentals do consistently have elements that stand out to me, such as the background congas and liquid guitars on "Expectations", or the catchy melody on "Deleter", but both tracks are utterly squandered by bad production and worse writing, the one-two sucker punch of underperformance that this album just keeps indulging in. What does this result in you ask? Well for one, a listener who's frustrated at the clash of sounds between the natural guitars and outdated, blaring synthesizers and thick, stiff drum beats that do nothing to help these tracks, which desperately need a more consistent pulse. Just think Chvrches, The Postal Service and LCD Soundsystem, all bands that successfully capture the indietronica sound in their own unique ways that all boast incredible driving bass grooves and solid rhythms to keep things in check, rather than spiralling into the dull wandering that Grouplove seem to find impossible to avoid. Yawn.
TRACK RATINGS (/10)
1. Deleter - 2
2. Inside Out - 2
3. Expectations - 3
4. The Great Unknown - 1
5. Youth - 4
6. Places - 2
7. Promises - 3
8. Ahead of Myself - 3
9. Hail to the Queen - 2
10. Burial - 1
11. This Is Everything - 2
BREAKDOWN
Ambition: 3
Atmosphere: 2
Catchiness/Enjoyability: 0
Content/Ideas: 2
Emotion/Engaging: 2
Execution: 1
Production: 1
Structure: 2
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Lyrics: 2
Vocals/Flows: 2
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Total: 17
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