After six years of radio silence, The Growlers popped up overnight with three-track EP Feel My Funk that remains faithful to their signature beach-goth sound whilst subtly nudging to new territories.
Leaving listeners on a note of reflection with their 2019 album Natural Affair, the southern Californian band have picked up where they left off, except framing these themes through groove-driven and psychedelic textures. Produced by indie band Woods’ Jarvis Teviniere, each of Feel My Funk’s tracks stand out with more distinctive riffs and sharper instrumental character, while keeping the atmospheric pulse that has long defined their work. Brooks Nielsen’s vocals remain instantly recognisable- nasally, voicemail-like, and occasionally submerged beneath the riffs.
The title track, ‘Feel My Funk’, sets the tone with the spirited, elastic synths reminiscent of ‘Going Gets Tough’ from Chinese Fountain. While the vocals maintain that off-kilter, country-like mumbling sound, the production is polished and catchy, bonding together their faithful surf sound with a funk-pop edge. The track balances upbeat sound with vulnerable lyricism, with lines like “Woke up with nothing / ‘Cause all I had was drunk / All my plants are dead and my head’s a mess” that makes for the perfect opening track: immediately appealing yet signalling the thoughtful exploration running throughout the EP.
‘Spider-Eyed / Don’t Care’ expands the sonic palette with a stylistic bonding- the first half being a distorted and psychedelic groove characterised by a brisk, steady motion, before fading into a plucky, almost Western-tinged flow. The lines appear to explore spiritual ideas that bode well with the hallucinatory pattern, such as “There’s a fine line between happiness and misery / If the gift of life’s to be free / Let’s not kill it all with greed” which adds a heartfelt flair without feeling overly romantic. The fragmented, distorted notes moving into the vibrant, propulsive sound feels like a strike between Wavves and Spendtime Palace in a hypnotic and energising package that feels experimental but still honourably Growlers.
The EP signs off with ‘Tried It All Too Soon’ which slows the pace and stretches the animated riffs into thoughtful acoustics. The instrumentation is softer and more spacious, allowing Nielsens’ voice to carry more emotional resonance without being heavy-handed, and balancing melancholy and nostalgia with a sonic imagery of sun-soaked West Coast landscapes. Akin to Natural Affair, the lyrics are sentimental- yet have now been penned with a jagged edge of disillusionment and growth, which is rounded off with a jumble into a nonsensical interplay before a sudden halt.
The 16-minute short-but-satisfying listening experience of the EP is layered, and repeated plays reveal new details throughout its musical tapestry. I think if it had been an LP, then it would have been an uninspiring revival, but the three tracks flow with a natural arc that keeps it tasteful and interesting. For long-time fans, it’s a reminder that even after years of silence, the band’s ability to tackle new genres whilst keeping in touch with their character remains intact; for new listeners, it’s an accessible entry point into their idiosyncratic world.
Feel My Funk is available on all streaming platforms.
Words by Sophie Jarvis
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