BY SOPHIA ROUMELIOTIS’20
STAFF WRITER
Grouplove is an indie-pop band consisting of five members: three who are both vocalists and instrumentalists and two who are instrumentalists.They’ve had a consistent happy-go-lucky sound since 2010 and recently released their new album, Big Mess, on September 9. This album can be a bit unconventional, mixing familiar dance vibes with the occasional unconventionally edgy guitar riff.
Here are four of the best songs from the album:
- Good Morning
This song practically radiates sunshine with its synth pop beats. It sounds like a happy dance anthem, mixing the lead singers’ calm voices with extremely upbeat music in the background. The repetition of lyrics blending together with the catchy beats will surely get stuck in your head for days.
- Do You Love Someone
This song sounds oddly nostalgic. It exudes good vibes, touches on themes of love and friendship, and has very clever lyrics, such as: “We keep walking ’til we’re turning back the clock. Yeah, we can fight ’til there’s nothing left to lose” makes the song feel youthful, and gives off powerful messages like reassurance and empowerment. The instrumental track makes me want to dance to the song.
- Cannonball
If you’re looking for something a little faster than the other tracks on this album, you’re in luck. Cannonball’s cool vibes would make you imagine you’re a greaser wearing a leather jacket while wearing shades and leaning against a brick wall. Despite the rebellious nature of the song, it still maintains the chill vibes given from the vocalists’ calm voices on the other songs.
- Welcome to Your Life
The slow, but laidback vibes that this song gives off are what this band does best. It’s the type of song that you can definitely imagine being played at a bonfire with close friends or lovers, as it feels like such a happy dream. The synthesizer and vocalists’ sound complement each other perfectly, creating another world that seems fantastical and dream-like.
Overall, Big Mess is a cohesive album, as it develops ethereal, dream-like beats along with the unexpected edge. While those may be contradictory vibes, the presentation ends up extremely well, combining a “chilling at a campfire” vibe, along with empowering themes, such as exclaiming that people can rule the world. Mixing those empowering messages with great familiar beats leaves a reassuring end result. All of the songs in this album will make you want to shout and cherish moments with your friends.
Sophia Roumeliotis can be reached at Roumeliotis@lakeforest.edu
