The Growlers - Natural Affair (2019)

The Growlers had been talked about with their last album dated 2016 with City Club which had not met the expected success. But that was not their fault but that of Julian Casablancas who had sanitized their universe. Three years have passed and the Californian group has changed course with their successor, Natural Affair.

Here they are emancipated from the influence of the leader of The Strokes as evidenced by catchy songs like the strangely funky title track but also the more indie pop allures of "Long Hot Night (Halfway To Certain)" which follow. We say that The Growlers decided to have fun while incorporating disco-funk influences into their ecstatic surf-pop on dazzling tracks like "Pulp of Youth" plunging us back into our crazy youth but still "Foghorn Town "and" Stupid Things ".

Led by the gritty voice of Brooks Nielsen and the sometimes funky, sometimes distorted riffs, Natural Affair does not hesitate to play unexpected moments on certain songs. We can cite, among other things, softer moments with "Social Man" and "Shadow Woman" and others more complex with "Tune Out" showing all their versatility of the Californian quintet. It is clear that with "Coinstar" and "Try Hard Fool", The Growlers is getting back on its feet with this new disc with resolutely personal but forward-looking lyrics. No wonder they chase the natural to return to the gallop.