...but you can't take the band out of the drummer

Spotted on Twitter: new dad Ryan as well as original bassist Sean Gadd joined former bandmates GROUPLOVE at their show at the Hollywood Palladium in Los Angeles last night as they performed their debut album Never Trust A Happy Song in honor of the tenth anniversary of its' release.

https://twitter.com/ibakeforaliving/status/1461972594467516422

ETA: this photo/video set on Instagram has nice moments.

https://www.instagram.com/p/CWgb2KmPI02/

Fashion Watch: What's black and yellow and rad all over?

Many of us are dedicated followers of the history of Trevor's sartorial choices and one thing we know for sure is if he's worn something once, he's probably going to wear it again.  But even I was surprised of late, courtesy of Alfred Ligammari II sharing his concert photographs of Yes via his Instagram page.  He's posted several shots of the April 26th 80 Dates show in Buffalo, NY and because there are not a lot of photos from the tour entire in circulation it was a bit of a shock to see Trevor's 9012Live shirt revived for this particular performance.  Below are the links for all of the photos from that gig he has posted thus far.

https://www.instagram.com/p/CTTkSGzLYh8/

https://www.instagram.com/p/CT5KueXLlXK/

https://www.instagram.com/p/CT5MDFCrX0h/

https://www.instagram.com/p/CT5Rs1Crd9X/

https://www.instagram.com/p/CT5XzQ0rEHU/

https://www.instagram.com/p/CT5fRdSrQBZ/

https://www.instagram.com/p/CT5fW9Hrz7u/

https://www.instagram.com/p/CT5v8naLhdH/

https://www.instagram.com/p/CT70IgCr0Fd/

https://www.instagram.com/p/CT71MG2rXZL/

https://www.instagram.com/p/CT71oXWrgFP/

https://www.instagram.com/p/CT8HZNvL0Fh/

As one of Trevor's most iconic pieces of clothing we know it's had a life even beyond its' appearance during the 9012Live tour (and in the 9012Live concert video) - as Ryan wore it at various times during his tenure with GROUPLOVE, such as this interview in 2013.  THAT JACKET THO - it almost seems as if it's meant to be worn with the shirt.

Let us hope the shirt is well-stored now so that the next Rabin generation can also wear it proud someday.

artistry acknowledged

Congrats to Hannah Hooper and Grouplove on their Grammy nomination!  Healer has made the final five slate for Best Recording Package, with the potential award going to Hannah and Julian Gross as art directors.

As with all the Grouplove releases, the album cover was created by Hannah and features many of her illustrations in the accompanying booklet.  Long-time fans are also aware Hannah painted the portrait of Trevor which serves as the cover of Jacaranda.

new Love for the new year

Even though it's now official, more or less, that Ryan is no longer a part of GROUPLOVE in any capacity, I still do enjoy the band and have been keeping tabs on what they're doing.  Last week they released the first single from their upcoming album Healer and I think it's really good - it contains many of the elements of their sound which we know and love (i.e. Christian and Hannah's harmonies and a hook-y chorus) combined with an absolutely driven punk-pop energy.  The production work is stellar and I urge anyone interested to give it a listen if you haven't already.  The lyrics make me consider that the song can be apprehended on a few different levels...from the personal to the political, shall we say.

Media Watch: of the group but not in the Group

Published today on the Noise11 site is an article regarding Ryan's continuing absence from GROUPLOVE, which may potentially indicate more than just a change of heart regarding touring.

http://www.noise11.com/news/grouplove-are-still-trying-to-work-it-out-with-ryan-rubin-20180228

“Before this big Imagine Dragons we did last Fall in The States he strangely wrote us this email saying ‘I don’t want to go on this tour,” Grouplove singer Christian Zucconi tells Noise11.com. “I’m not saying I don’t want to be in the band anymore but I don’t want to go on the tour’, (he wrote). It’s a weird thing to say and express because to be in the band you need to go on tour.”

Back in October I had theorized that it seemed Ryan wanted to focus on Captain Cuts' artistic development for the time being as they have been signed to Sony and released several singles, including their collaboration with New York-based EDM duo The Knocks, "House Party."  It's possible that Ryan might take more of what is traditionally characterized as a Brian Wilson-type role for GROUPLOVE and continue to write and produce on future albums but not tour.  As he had stated in past interviews, before the formation of the band Ryan had already decided on a production career rather than a performing one.  So this kind of direction doesn't really surprise me if in fact it is what Ryan desires to pursue in the future.

Captain Cuts recently celebrated yet another hit collaboration with alt-rock band Walk The Moon - last month their song "One Foot" from the album What If Nothing reached number one on the Billboard Alternative Songs chart.  And GROUPLOVE has filled Ryan's seat behind the kit with former Dashboard Confessional drummer Benjamin Homola.

Don't forget to remember!

GROUPLOVE is a busy band this summer - touring in support of Big Mess and Little Mess, as well as playing various festivals - and yesterday they released a new single, so their #1 fan was quick to alert the masses.

REMEMBER THAT NIGHT!!!
Grouplove's new song...you gotta listen... For my ears their strongest single to date.... https://t.co/CTKIptra3H

— Trevor Rabin (@Rabin_News) August 18, 2017

Featuring a fierce vocal by Hannah Hooper and a really interesting percussion-driven dynamic arrangement, this song definitely places the band much more on the indie pop side of their particular aesthetic.

even more Mess

I received an email a few weeks back which reminded me I had missed something...
Are you going to review Little Mess?  I think it's pretty cool!

Ah yes I totally forgot to comment about the release of GROUPLOVE's new EP Little Mess, which was originally a Record Store Day exclusive and then released to digital distribution on May 5th.

RECORD STORE DAY IS SATURDAY #littlemess 10" VINYL 🔥🔥🔥

A post shared by GROUPLOVE (@grouplove) on Apr 20, 2017 at 3:13pm PDT

The title is, naturally, a reference to these tracks having been recorded during the sessions for Big Mess in Seattle with producer/engineer Phil Ek.  The overall character of the first three tracks: "Tell Me A Story," "Torso" and "MRI" is somewhat more subdued when compared to the songs which did make it onto the album, although I think "Torso" was a strong contender, it hearkens back - in my estimation - to the sonic palette of Spreading Rumours.  Even with a slower tempo "MRI" is probably the heaviest song they've recorded in quite a while, and it frames Hannah's lead vocal quite nicely.

Also included is a live version of "Enlighten Me" which features backing vocals from a very enthusiastic audience.  The live arrangement has a really great dynamic, starting out with just Christian's vocal and acoustic guitar and then ramping up to a full band blowout for the ending.

"Adios Amigos" reminds me of "Beans On Pizza" in terms of its' playful attitude but it's got that gung-ho go go go infectious spirit which is pure GROUPLOVE for sure.

Big Mess review

GROUPLOVE
Big Mess
(Canvasback/Atlantic)

"We're back in business!" Hannah Hooper proclaims on the opening track of GROUPLOVE's third album, and that's entirely evident on "Welcome to Your Life," which in my opinion is the strongest single the band has had in years.

This new release reflects the evolution of the band, whose members have matured both musically and emotionally, with marriage, parenthood and a lineup change all contributing factors to their current outlook and creativity.  But it's still all about the particular upbeat sound which they embody: a blending of various genre elements, sunshine-y manic energy, and popular polish.

Unlike their previous releases - 2011's Never Trust A Happy Song and 2013's Spreading Rumours - this album appears to be definitively delineated between the band's two primary identities: indie rock true believers and enthusiastic EDM dabblers.  And they perform each style well enough that the two disciplines blur throughout the arrangements and becomes their overall aesthetic.  GROUPLOVE is a band comprised of musicians with widespread interests, and it shows in the diversity of their songwriting.  But this album is sequenced in such a way that the crunchy rock bookends the airy electronica center.  I see it as somewhat of a return to their formulaic sense of fun, but I don't use "formulaic" in the pejorative sense, more in terms of understanding that they know who they are.  Big Mess is definitely less adventurous than Spreading Rumours, but mostly charming in its reprisal of those elements which the band uses to full advantage.  I can't help but wonder if working with alt rock guru Phil Ek was partly the reason for a more homogeneous collection.

Love to the Group.

Hannah Hooper, Andrew Wesson, Christian Zucconi, Daniel Gleason and Ryan Rabin

And now onto the contents...

"Welcome to Your Life" is inscribed with Hit Single from its arrangement and textures to its lyrical sloganeering, but thoroughly compelling and fun to sing along with in the car.  It's really touching to hear the voice of the song's central subject - Hannah and Christian's daughter Willa - sampled in the bridge.

"Do You Love Someone" has a great hook along with an interesting push-me-pull-you time signature, and Christian's ragged voice really sells it.  His voice is unique enough that it is instantly recognizable in the context of the band's oeuvre.

"Standing in the Sun" skirts the edge of being filler, but the acoustic guitar hook is everything (as the kids say these days).  This band definitely knows the value of a good hook, and sometimes that is all it takes to sell a song on being worth your attention.

"Enlighten Me" is the first of the electronica songs and its spacey textures are appropriate to Christian's philosophical musings.  The beat which anchors the arrangement is a definite rumpshaker, but slowed down just enough to sound a tad more mystical.  The middle break has a beautiful celestial quality to it, and the coda is nicely dramatic.

"Good Morning" showcases Hannah's playful hip-hop stylings set to a bouncy beat and old school synth sampling.  If the credits didn't already reveal the fact, this would definitely be pegged as a Captain Cuts production.  I envision sweaty people jumping in the club when I hear it.  Andrew's melodic metallic wash of a solo provides an interesting contrast to the poppy feel of this track.

"Spinning" has an almost California Sound aura to it, somewhere between the Beach Boys and Phil Spector, but rendered within the confines of indie pop.  The juxtaposition of Christian and Hannah's vocals is well-used.  The overall vibe is laid back and doesn't shift too dramatically between verse and chorus, but the integrity of the arrangement is to the song's credit in that all of the meticulous detail isn't lost in an actual wall of sound.

"Cannonball" is my personal favorite, a thoroughly propulsive and incredibly catchy song, I hope it gets released as a single even as it is doesn't sound like anything else on the album.  I can't be sure who is on lead vocal but the lyric has a great flow.  It actually reminds me a bit of what Kanye West was doing on Yeezus, but not nearly as dark.

"Traumatized" returns to the rock side of things, with its power pop/punk feel, an interesting choice for a song which is actually about parental sacrifice.

"Heart of Mine" is the other song I'd label as filler, although it does contain a heartfelt message which I imagine is drawn directly from the lives of its composers.

"Don't Stop Making It Happen" is another one which would make a fun single, and that cowbell really truly is everything.  I see this song as the tonal successor to "Tongue Tied" even if it lacks the absolutely joyful and addictive hook of the original.  It also contains the best use of a cash register sample since Pink Floyd's "Money."

"Hollywood" continues the band's tradition of closing with a ballad which beautifully blends its singers' strengths, the kind of blood harmony which occurs when two people in love sing together.  This song is a statement of identity, in a way, in that they position themselves in opposition to their chosen milieu: residing in a city where they are surrounded by artifice, the band declares it is wholly authentic.  The use of strings in the instrumental break is a lovely touch.

In summation, Big Mess is an easy enjoyable listen - it reminds me of how I felt the first time I heard Never Trust A Happy Song.  It's too bad such a summery album was released at the end of Summer, although it will do very well to evoke that mood for their fans all year long.  And there's something to be said for fostering traditional values, so even if the title is meant to be a bit ironic, the musical mess these five people make is always big and bright, exactly as they desire.

Notes from the Maestro

In the wake of the touring band lineup announcement, Trevor finally caught up with us on social media last night (and apologized for his "long hiatus")...

also while it has been announced, I want to add how happy we are
that Lou Molino (drums), Lee Pomeroy (bass),... https://t.co/Cgr3BLqY00

— Trevor Rabin (@Rabin_News) July 8, 2016

Trevor points out - as I did in my entry on Big Mess - that he and Ryan will be out on the road at the same time, an event unprecedented in their shared lives as father and son, including updates on what his multi-talented progeny has been up to in his musical career.   He also comments "We're still working hard on the new material." which at least keeps the hope of new music alive, even in light of recent statements about the status of an ARW album.  So things may be chaotic (his term) right now, but it's good to know the guys are as excited as we are to get the show underway.

Update: Trevor posted again today (which is entirely keeping with his usual behavior in this regard).

From the 1st rehearsal on the Union tour, I loved Rick as a person
and player, By about the 10th gig, we talked... https://t.co/q2SWOTPuvW

— Trevor Rabin (@Rabin_News) July 8, 2016

Big news about a Big Mess

Today those crazy kids in GROUPLOVE announced the upcoming release of their third album - which they were referring to as #tonequest in social media updates - Big Mess, on September 9th.  Father and son will both be on tour this fall, with Ryan and his bandmates undertaking their worldwide jaunt beginning in August with some dates in the Pacific Rim and concluding in mid-November in the Southwest.

The album's first single "Welcome To Your Life" will be released on July 15th.  In a new interview bassist Daniel Gleason noted that half the album was produced with Phil Ek at his studio Avast in Seattle.

The album trailer can be viewed here:

exciting times

According to Rick Wakeman's latest Grumpy Old Rick's Ramblings, there's definite cause for celebration this Spring:

Anderson / Rabin & Wakeman continues to gain pace and all is looking tremendous. Performance dates are coming in thick and fast and the new music is just everything I believed it could be. Indeed, as I write this GORR I know that Jon is actually spending a few days with Trevor before Trev scoots off to South Africa for his son’s wedding.

This confirms a comment Jon made in a recent interview regarding going to visit Trevor this month.

Ryan's impending nuptials this month might, in part, explain the big push to completion for #tonequest, as Friday's update on Instagram depicts, with Grammy-nominated mastering engineer Greg Calbi (who also mastered Spreading Rumours).

Greg Calbi sure is a master 👊👊👊 @sterlingsound 🔥🔥🔥

A photo posted by GROUPLOVE (@grouplove) on Mar 31, 2016 at 11:12pm PDT

It's time to feel the LOVE again!

Thanks to timely updates on social media from the band, we've been informed GROUPLOVE is now finished with the recording of their upcoming third album (which was referred to as #tonequest), and it will include a cameo from Christian and Hannah's totally adorable daughter Willa (who I'm assuming is the sixth member of the band, maybe?).

Last week an inside glimpse of the production was posted on Instagram, featuring producer/engineer Ryan at the console in his studio, working on vocal takes, multitasking as we all do in the wired world (and here I thought cellphones were usually banned in the studio, but I guess when you own it you can make/break the rules).

busted cell phone guy

A video posted by GROUPLOVE (@grouplove) on Feb 11, 2016 at 5:02pm PST

Welcome to the family!

A very joyful congratulations to Hannah Hooper and Christian Zucconi, now expecting their first child, who will be surrounded with love and music, and to new uncles Ryan and Andrew and Daniel.

So damn excited to welcome our newest member of Grouplove this summer @LadyGrouplove #PREGNANT pic.twitter.com/J2duJHZwKT
— GROUPLOVE (@GROUPLOVE) April 15, 2015

Media Watch: special sons

Today, the South Africa edition of Rolling Stone features an interview with Ryan which calls special attention to his roots and what they mean to him.  And as befits someone who quite often in performance wears t-shirts from his dad's old band, the article makes mention of Ryan's tattoo of the South African flag which can be glimpsed in the documentary I'm With You.

With this particular quote I believe Ryan truly is his father's son in expressing a particular sentiment:

“I get the same thrill from playing a show to thousands of people as I do crafting a record and listening back to it as it starts to really make sense to my ears.”

The link to the article for interested readers:
http://www.rollingstone.co.za/artists/item/3283-grouplove

Spreading Rumours review

I'm with them.

(L to R: Sean Gadd, Christian Zucconi, Hannah Hooper, Ryan Rabin, Andrew Wesson)

GROUPLOVE
Spreading Rumours
(Canvasback/Atlantic)

To provide this review a frame of reference I'd like to discuss how I first came to love the group (*rimshot*).  The band's debut EP was originally released in 2010 and the song "Gold Coast" was featured in the film The Sorcerer's Apprentice, which Trevor had scored.  As I always read the credits for films, but especially those which Trevor has worked on, I was able to figure out that Grouplove was Ryan's new band and thus I rushed off to alert fandom to this discovery and downloaded their EP, which I did enjoy, and not merely for its progeny (besides Ryan, bassist Sean Gadd is the son of British vocalist Steve Gadd).  I especially liked the production values of "Gold Coast," appreciating the choices Ryan made as an engineer and producer.

Success does not just happen to a band, they have to achieve it, and Grouplove was tireless in performing and managed to land a distributor in Atlantic and thus a contract.  The following year saw the release of Never Trust A Happy Song, which is a great album, with only one song I would consider filler ("Betty's A Bombshell" - I wish they would have included "Gold Coast" as they did with "Colours" and "Naked Kids").  With a variety of styles from indie rock to shiny pop to trip-hop to a sort of neo-glam and a few other genre nods, it sold well and "Tongue Tied" became one of the most-played and licensed songs of 2012.  I knew it was a hit single the very first time I heard it and if Ryan - much like Trevor with "Owner of a Lonely Heart" - becomes defined by that song...well, I can think of worse things.

So all of that goes to explain that I am and have been a fan of this band.  I have listened to the EP and Happy Song many times and the band's collective talent, energy and synergy with one another is the key to their success. Being attractive and personable certainly doesn't hurt either.  But what I liked about the album is that it seemed to present the band in their best light, how this was a once-in-a-lifetime pairing in all ways.  Instrumentally they blended together so well, and the call-and-response of Christian's and Hannah's vocals were as much a part of the sound as the perfect hooks and the manic energy of their playing.  I had no qualms in proclaiming this to be an excellent debut.

I appreciate and admire that the band is not merely reprising their formula with Spreading Rumours, that they are setting themselves new benchmarks and ambitions.  Production-wise this is a great work, and I'm betting other artists will hear it and find themselves thinking, "Wow, I want Ryan Rabin to produce my next record!"  The sum of his experience and education is brought to bear in the arrangements and elaborate layering evident in all the tracks.  This is a great-sounding record, and as he brought in a couple well-known engineers to assist with the mix, it's another example of how the band is focused on ensuring their own success, not content to leave it to others or even the popular zeitgeist while at the same time maintaining artistic integrity.

That said I'm not sure, song-wise, how well it all jells as an album.  I think it may have at least two songs too many.  Their are fewer stylistic shifts and even less of Andrew and Sean.  I know they're in there, amidst all that layering, but the character of their playing and songwriting seems less evident.  While Sean sings the verses on "Flowers" - one of the bonus tracks on the deluxe edition - there's nothing on the original tracklist, though Andrew sings co-lead on "Shark Attack."  And I miss them.  There's less of a rock focus, more EDM texturing (one notable moment comes in "Hippy Hill" with a out-of-left-field dubstep bridge in the middle of the song) and while that's not bad it seems to muddy the feel of the band.  There are hooks throughout, it's just that those songs more devoted to mood than melody seem to flounder a bit in my estimation.  When there is a good hook or a catchy melody with interesting sloganeering in the lyrics, then it works nicely.  But in a few places I did wish the band had made different choices, such as "Didn't Have To Go," which is an achingly heartbreaking meditation on young love from Hannah, but her vocal is a bit too shrill and forced in the chorus, it undermines the unvarnished longing of her voicings in the verses.  On the other hand, I did appreciate the decision to put a percussive coda on the end of "Sit Still," it's nice to have a reminder of what a great drummer Ryan is.

But the album begins and ends wonderfully: "I'm With You" is ambitious and intricate, an indie pop symphony of sorts, and "Save The Party For Me" is a sweet acoustic-based lullaby, again focusing on the chemistry of Christian and Hannah much as "Close Your Eyes and Count To Ten" did on the last album.

The deluxe edition of the release contains three extra tracks, and "Girl" is the best of the lot, featuring Hannah surrounded by shimmering layers of electronica heavy on the reverb.

I tend to believe this album is a grow-er rather than a show-er, it will take time for most of the tracks to worm their way into my heart, and the relationship between the listener and the work has at least a year of connection to occur, hopefully deepening over time.  The character of the band and their artistic aims has already taken hold and so any effort, especially that which is forward-thinking, deserves everyone's attention.

Let's get happy!

A welcome recent piece of news was Ryan's revelation that GROUPLOVE would be recording and releasing a new album this year, and fans were able to witness the process taking place at Perfect Sound Studios in the Hollywood Hills as the band used a livecasting channel they dubbed "Superkaliwood" to allow a glimpse into the workings and chat with whomever had logged in.  This week brought the news that the album - titled Spreading Rumours - is scheduled for release on September 17th and the video for the first single, "Ways To Go," an electronica-based piece of sweet ear candy which loyal fans have likely seen performed recently, has been released.

The interplay of Christian and Hannah as co-lead vocalists is stronger than ever, and there's no doubt in my mind the new album will contain even more of what makes the band so much fun to listen to.

I’m With You

Borderlines And Aliens

Schoolboy

Ways To Go

Shark Attack

Sit Still

Hippy Hill

What I Know

Didn’t Have To Go

Bitin’ The Bullet

News To Me

Raspberry

Save The Party For Me

One imagines that some of these songs will be played in the course of the summer festival touring the band is currently undertaking.  I was surprised to see the album does not include the new song used in the television series Girls, "Everyone's Gonna Get High," which is also featured on the soundtrack album for the show.