GROUNDERS!
Last summer a handful of us youthful no-good-niks started a late-night ‘Grounders’ league. We would fuel up on booze and blunts and wander to a nearby playground. Everyone left burnt out and bruised. It was wonderful mischief.
GROUNDERS lead singer Andrew Davis would’ve loved to tag along. Sarcastic and sly, Davis would be best suited to perform in front of a jungle gym: haplessly climbing onto movable speakers, humorlessly telling the sound-tech to boost his vocals to the point of a deafening feedback loop “that’s perfect,” or accidentally breaking one of his strings five minutes in to the show. Davis adds a dosage of unpredictability and whimsicality to the group bolstered by four gentlemen cooler than country cucumbers.
Daniel Busheikin plays the atmospheric anchor on the keys, injecting silly Van Halen synth covers between songs. Guitarist Evan Lewis takes the prize for the best hair of the bunch, while Kieran Adams effortlessly keeps the pace on the skins and hats. Admittedly my eyes were glued to the precise handiwork of bassist Mike Searle, not just because he looked like he’d give a solid hug and handshake; the man was an incredible musician. Collectively they make a delicious recipe of soft-serve psych-pop.
Somewhere between Mac DeMarco, Neon Indian, Tame Impala, and perhaps a little dose of Bowie, GROUNDERS have crafted a gorgeous floral niche amidst the onslaught of local indie synth pop groups. Fresh off releasing their self-titled debut LP, GROUNDERS has escaped the bedrooms and basements for the comforts of a tour van. Make no mistake, their sound is mature. Dreamy, sun-bleached and spiritual, GROUNDERS is poised to make a sultry splash.
You can snag their album on bandcamp, and make sure you catch them on their current North American tour coming to a crummy bar near you. In the meantime, satiate your insatiable sonic salivary glands with these sensual synth songs below. (Included! A sick viddy)
[audio:https://thenewlofi.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/03-Bloor-Street-and-Pressure.mp3|titles=GROUNDERS – Bloor Street and Pressure]
GROUNDERS – Bloor Street and Pressure
Woah! Go see these guys.
Sep 22 – Vancouver, BC – The Media Club
Sep 23 – Bellingham, WA – The Shakedown
Sep 24 – Seattle, WA – Rendezvous
Sep 25 – Eugene, OR – Luckey’s
Sep 26 – Portland, OR – White Eagle
Oct 1 / 2 – San Francisco, CA – Culture Collide Festival
Oct 8 – Los Angeles, CA – Culture Collide Festival
Oct 11 – Denver, CO – Moe’s
Oct 13 – Chicago, IL – Schubas
Oct 14 – Pittsburgh, PA – Spirit
Oc 20 – Boston, MA – Great Scott
Oct 23 – Moncton, NB – Plan B
Oct 24 / 26 – Halifax, NS – Halifax Pop Explosion
