Grouplove released their third studio album “Big Mess” last month and has used personal experiences to create their most mature and well-put together album yet.
In the three years since their last album, “Spreading Rumors” was released, the band has added a new member. Band member Hannah Hooper was pregnant during the entirety of writing “Big Mess” with Christian Zucconi, the band’s frontman. Zucconi and Hooper have mentioned on multiple occasions just how life changing having a child is. A lot of material in this album focuses on love, appreciation and sharing life with special people.
The opening song “Welcome to Your Life,” begins with a horn sounding synthesizer that can be used as an alarm to wake listeners up. The song is a plea to explore your life and not let is pass by. Hooper breaks the horns with her cutting voice, “We’re back in business. You’re such a big mess and I love you. Yeah, I love you.” The song can be viewed as a tribute to Hooper and Zucconi’s daughter as she enters a new and uncertain world.
The couple harmonizes and yells, “Welcome to your life. It could be your fantasy. Welcome to your world, my girl. Let it be your fantasy.”
“Traumatized” is a song that hits you hard from the starting electric guitar riffs. At first listen, Grouplove could be compared to The Strokes with their hard strums and hard rock sound. Steady drums that are emphasized often with big, hard bangs to compliment Zucconi’s strained, worn, yelling voice. The song starts hard rock, but fades slightly as the chorus arrives and Hooper’s lighter voice kicks in, balancing with Zucconi’s.
This album was one made out of pure love and joy. The band has taken the great experiences of life and turned it into something that finds the balance between the crazy and the amazing.
