The Growlers

Based out of Los Angeles, California, indie rockers the Growlers emerged in the early part of the 2010s, employing an atmospheric blend of reverb-laden surf rock, country-folk, and classic rock. After a handful of smaller releases, their 2014 album, Chinese Fountain, found some mainstream chart success and helped expand their audience in advance of the Julian Casablancas-produced City Club LP in 2016. In addition to their prolific output, the Growlers have also curated and headlined their own annual festival.
Formed in 2006, the self-described "Beach Goth" outfit went through numerous personnel changes before settling on the core lineup of Brooks Nielsen (vocals), Matt Taylor (lead guitar), Scott Montoya (drums), Anthony Braun Perry (bass), and Kyle Straka (keyboards, guitar) -- they later pared down to a trio consisting of Nielsen, Taylor, and Straka). They issued their debut album, Are You in or Are You Out? via Everloving Records in 2009, followed by the Hot Tropics EP in 2010. In 2012, the group established their own Beach Goth Festival which became an annual event featuring a wide variety of acts spanning pop, metal, and hip-hop. Their follow-up full-length, Hung at Heart, arrived in 2013 with their third album, Chinese Fountain, coming out the following year on FatCat in the U.K. and Everloving in the U.S. The latter proved to be somewhat of a breakout for the Growlers and cracked the Billboard 200 pop chart. For their next release, the band tapped Strokes member Julian Casablancas to produce and the resulting album, City Club, appeared in 2016 on Casablancas' label Cult Records. Two years later, the Growlers issued a collection of rarities and B-sides called Casual Acquaintances via their own Beach Goth label. The single "Foghorn Town" was issued in late 2019 ahead of the arrival of the full-length outing Natural Affair, which followed in January 2020. ~ James Christopher Monger