Grouplove's “Never Trust a Happy Song"

Christian Zucconi's LA Quintet Play Coachella

The September 2011 album Never Trust a Happy Song by Grouplove is a diverse and fresh addition to the Indie music scene. It is an inspired follow-up to the band's self-titled EP from 2010, recycling the songs "Colours" and "Naked Kids," and mixing them with a dynamic line-up of new songs.

The Vancouver radio station, The Peak 100.5 FM, introduced Grouplove's recent single "Tongue Tied" in their "Check This Out" new music program. The song offered up an upbeat, energetic sound. A listen to the full album brings more of this - as Huw Jones put it in his Slant Magazine review of the album, this band is "packed to the gunwales with charm-your-pants-off midsummer glee."

"Never Trust a Happy Song" Line-up

"Never Trust A Happy Song" is made up of 12 tracks, which move from party anthem to ballad and back. The overall impression of this album is bright and animated. A BBC Music review said, "Never Trust a Happy Song is far from a cohesive album, but that actually works to its advantage - because it encapsulates the ups and downs, the joys and sorrows, of this emotional roller coaster known as life."

The album begins strong with "Itchin' on a Photograph," which is followed by powerhouse upbeat songs "Tongue Tied," "Lovely Cup," and "Colours." It then slows down the mood with "Slow," then brings on "Naked Kids," a beachy-nostalgic track.

The energy is picked back up with "Spun" and stays high until "Cruel and Beautiful World" begins to wind things down, and finally "Close Your Eyes and Count to Ten" brings the set to a close.

Grouplove Profile

Sticky Magazine's interview with Christian Zucconi, the band's lead singer, reveals that the band first got together at an arts retreat in Greece, although 4 of the 5 band members are American. The band members decided to move to California to work together and record in drummer Ryan Rabin's studio.

Not too long afterwards, the quintet played the live indie music circuit with names like Florence and the Machine, Foster the People, and Two Door Cinema Club.

Currently, Grouplove is touring Europe, which will keep them busy until the end of February 2012. They will follow this with an American tour until mid-April, with shows culminating with the Coachella music festival in Indio, California.