To fully understand Los Angeles’ quirky and jubilant Grouplove, it’s helpful to start with the group’s fittingly outrageous genesis point. In 2009, five strangers (more or less) met at the Ikarus artist commune in Greece and quickly formed a friendship. A year later, they reconvened in Los Angeles with the idea of creating music together and Grouplove was born. This spirit of spontaneity is evident in Grouplove’s music, which is reminiscent of beloved ‘90s alt-rock weirdos like Beck and the Pixies. After a successful tour alongside Florence + the Machine, the band released their debut album Never Trust a Happy Song, which included the breakthrough single “Tongue Tied.” The ensuing years have seen a flurry of activity for the band, including festival appearances at Coachella and Bonnaroo, contributions to TV and film scores, and the release of four additional albums. Their newest, This is This, finds the band taking on a more sophisticated sound and exploring themes of angst and anxiety.
