Never Trust a Happy Song

iTunes Review

The members of this L.A.-based group met in an art residency program on the island of Crete, clicked musically, and arranged to regroup in the U.S. and get serious about this band business. Lead singer/writer Christian Zucconi has a wonderful quality in his voice, part unleashed puppy and part unhinged young artist, and he leads the band members as they frolic and summersault their way through summery, anthemic pop that disallows unhappy thoughts or dark clouds (never mind the ironic title). This full-length debut imparts so much sunshine and good vibery that it’s hard to imagine jaded indie fans dismissing them. Songs like the exuberant “Colours” and “Tongue Tied” are full of imagined, emphatic exclamation marks and body language (arm-waving, heart-clutching), and the band masters the dropping of a raucous, rousing chorus to a whisper in a millisecond. This smart group uses simple song architecture and hugely catchy choruses as an armature, layering on its clattering, colorful instrumental and vocal outpourings with abandon. Surely an iconic commercial is in Grouplove’s future.