Grouplove - Never Trust A Happy Song

Grouplove are not to be trusted. They admit it themselves. Why else would they call their debut album ‘Never Trust A Happy Song’, and then fill it with twelve of the most gloriously uplifting tracks of 2011?

Anybody who may have thought then that last year’s self-titled EP was just a sly curveball ahead of a darker, Joy Division inspired debut is likely to be disappointed. They won’t stay disappointed for long though as Never Trust a Happy Song is, ironically, the musical equivalent of Prozac.

Kicking things off is the handclap-fueled ‘Itchin’ On A Photograph,’ a song which is just crying out to be a shout-along festival anthem, especially when it builds to a climax of crashing cymbals and animalistic howling of “I’m living now and living loud” from lead singer Christian Zucconi. A very powerful start, which leads into the bouncy, innocent sounds of both ‘Tongue Tied’ and ‘Lovely Cup’ that express the joyous highs of young love so well that if they had been played on loudspeaker in the riot-struck areas of the UK, peace would have sprouted instantly. Probably.

‘Colours’ feels as if it has been around for ages now, being the first track ever released from the LA gang, and having ensnared the ears of casual listeners for the past two summers. By now, it should be irritating, with it’s recurring lyrics and the awful Black Eyed Peas-esque habit of repeating words to make a line fit the syllable pattern. But god dammit, you’d have to be a miser of massive proportions for it not to warm your insides with its’ euphoric naivety.

In an album full of unashamedly summery songs, it’s ‘Naked Kids’ which evokes the carefree spirit of the sunny season most. The title means you can’t ever admit to it being your favourite though; try telling your mates that you ‘love Naked Kids.’ A modern day Beach Boys tale of skinny-dipping, highway cruising and chemically induced highs, if there was ever a song perfectly designed to soundtrack a montage of holiday snaps, this is it.

Never Trust a Happy Song takes a few odd turns throughout, and some pay off better than others. Take the eccentric ‘Chloe,’ which sounds like Alphabeat covering Cheap Trick’s ‘I Want You To Want Me.’ It’s sheer weirdness that makes it work, and the chunky guitar riffs and locked-in drum beat are guaranteed to get you up off your arse. The generic token slow song; here literally called ‘Slow,’ and ‘Spun,’ which sails dangerously close to Mona waters, however, fail to impress. They are moments of surprising ordinariness on an album which delights in its fun-loving, goofy, vibes.

The end of the album sees a calmer, less frantic approach, with country-rock ballad ‘Cruel & Beautiful World’ offering a lighters-in-the-air comedown from the early exuberance. A look back at 90s indie-rock in final track ‘Close Your Eyes & Count To Ten’ touches on Pixies, Weezer and the Lemonheads, and leaves a sweet taste in the mouth. They say that too much sugary treats rot your teeth, but with Grouplove, you just can’t help but go back for more.