The Growlers – City Club (Cult Records, 2016)
The Growlers have typically been a time machine back to the heyday of 60s and 70s psychedelic rock. That is until City Club, which was not at all what I expected to hear. I anticipated they would continue to pursue the unique psychedelic sounds and lyrics featured in their previous album, Chinese Fountain (2014). Instead, City Club has a distinct retro, rock vibe— which makes The Growlers sound like many other bands out there right now. The change left me disappointed— City Club sounds like an album from another band entirely. Some of the songs are a good listen, but fans of Chinese Fountain will definitely notice a big change. City Club is missing the edginess and uniqueness the band is known for. If you’re new to The Growlers, however, you’ll probably appreciate this new album more than I did.
Trial Track: “City Club”
5/10
