Singer Brooks Nielsen and music director/guitarist Matt Taylor met in high school in the beach town of Dana Point, California, bonding over surfing, skating, and partying. When offered the chance to perform at a house party, the duo quickly wrote their first six songs in a single day, leading to the first incarnation of the band that would eventually become The Growlers.
After releasing a handful of self-recorded cassettes and CDs, The Growlers issued their first studio album, Are You in or Out? in 2009 on Everloving Records. Aquarium Drunkard described it as “consistent in sound and tone that is as enjoyable straight through or on shuffle… Taken as a whole, the record is a beautiful mix of late 60’s freak-out, folk calmness and surf rock.” Their second album, Hot Tropics, was released in 2010, also on Everloving Records. The band's third album, Hung at Heart, the first to feature Anthony Braun Perry on bass and Jason Kaiser on percussion, was released in 2013. The band originally worked with Dan Auerbach to record the album, but the finished version never saw official release. Instead the band recorded a new version of the album in Costa Mesa, CA with Mike McHugh at his Distillery Recording Studio, to get a more lo-fi sound.
Chinese Fountain, their new "more grown up, well polished" album was released September 23, 2014. This album was produced by JP Plunier at Seahorse Studios in Los Angeles, CA. While touring the album, the band expanded their live band with percussionist Nick Murray.
The band's fifth studio album, City Club was released by Cult Records on September 30, 2016, while they embarked on a supporting tour in the same month. It was the first Growlers album to be credited solely to Brooks Nielsen and Matt Taylor, as opposed to the whole band. Nielsen and Taylor wrote and recorded demos for the album over a span of 2 to 3 months with the help of Kyle Mullarky at his studio in Topanga Canyon, CA. It was preceded by the title track as a single produced by Julian Casablancas, who also owns the label. Neither drummer Scott Montoya nor bass player Anthony Perry feature on the album. On September 25, the band confirmed Montoya's departure from the band and stated that Perry was set to return in the near future. The band toured for this album with Brad Bowers on bass, Adam Wolcott Smith on keyboard, and Richard Gowen on drums. Whether their membership in the band is permanent is currently unclear.
The band released Casual Acquaintances on July 27, 2018, a collection of demos and unused material from the City Club sessions.
Allegations of misconduct
In July 2020, allegations of sexual misconduct surfaced against the band, along with other artists associated with Burger Records and the Southern California surf and garage rock music scene. Arrow De Wilde, the lead singer of the L.A. rock band Starcrawler, shared a personal encounter on her Instagram. In her post, Arrow claims she was assaulted by a male stripper hired by The Growlers while they were on tour together in Australia. In a statement issued via Instagram on July 31, 2020, Growlers singer Brooks Nielsen took "full responsibility and accountability for the behavior of all Growlers' band members, past and present," and announced that Matt Taylor would temporarily leave the band. Additionally, former Growlers touring keyboardist Adam Wolcott Smith admitted to an incident of abuse on his Instagram, while on tour with his band Zen Mother.
Dogheart II
The Growlers Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
He lets the shadows hug her breast
He just rests on her skin to make her warm to caress
A Little sun babe
Stealing your eyes from the sky
Steal her and bring her into the night
Cool down there baby
Like ice cream to the night
Shine a little love on your life
Her skin turns into leather
Hearts begin to callouse
Nothing in this world lasts forever
Little girls don't last forever
Enjoy them while you can
They're made for little boys
And soon you'll be a man
Little girls don't last forever
Enjoy them while you can
They're made for little boys
And soon you'll be a man
When you see diamonds in her eyes
And lips of morning mist
Use the moon to steal the sun’s kiss
For that feeling is begging
Listen to your dogheart
Let it out of the yard
'Cause little girls don't last forever
Enjoy them while you can
They're made for little boys
And soon you'll be a man
Little girls don't last forever
Enjoy them while you can
Take it from a dirty young man
The sun doesn’t beat her
He lets the shadows hug her breast
He just rests on her skin to make her warm to caress
That Little sun babe
Stealing your eyes from the sky
Steal her and bring her into the night
The lyrics of “Dogheart II” by The Growlers present an intriguing representation of a relationship between a man and a woman. The song seems to explore the fleeting nature of love and the beauty of living in the moment. The opening lines “the sun doesn’t beat her, he lets the shadows hug her breast” convey a sense of intimacy and tranquillity as the man admires the woman he loves. It appears that he has found comfort in her presence and seeks to protect her by keeping her out of the harshness of the sun's rays.
The song continues with an emphasis on the transient nature of love, as the relationship between the two individuals develops. When the woman’s “skin turns into leather” and their “hearts begin to callous,” it is clear that time has taken its toll on their love. The man acknowledges that nothing in this world lasts forever, but he urges the listener to enjoy the moments they have with their loved ones while they can. The imagery of the “little sun babe” stealing “your eyes from the sky,” and the man’s plea to “use the moon to steal the sun’s kiss” allude to the temporary and ephemeral nature of love.
Overall, “Dogheart II” presents an intriguing and thought-provoking perspective on love, relationships, and the importance of cherishing the moments we have with those we care about.
Line by Line Meaning
The sun doesn’t beat her
Her beauty is not dependent on sunlight
He lets the shadows hug her breast
She is comforted by the shadows
He just rests on her skin to make her warm to caress
The sun's warmth adds to her allure
A Little sun babe
She is like a beautiful sunbeam
Stealing your eyes from the sky
Her beauty is so captivating that it overshadows even the sky
Steal her and bring her into the night
Capture her beauty and bring it into the darkness
Cool down there baby
Take it easy, don't rush things
Like ice cream to the night
Her sweetness is a treat for the darkness
Shine a little love on your life
Let her love bring light into your existence
Her skin turns into leather
Her beauty fades with age and life's hardships
Hearts begin to callous
Emotional wounds harden the heart
Nothing in this world lasts forever
Everything is transitory
Little girls don't last forever
Youth and beauty are fleeting
Enjoy them while you can
Take pleasure in their beauty while you can
They're made for little boys
Young women are meant for young men
And soon you'll be a man
Youth will be left behind and adulthood will come
When you see diamonds in her eyes
When you see her eyes sparkle with joy and wonder
And lips of morning mist
Her lips are soft and delicate
Use the moon to steal the sun’s kiss
Take advantage of the night to show her affection
For that feeling is begging
The desire to express love is strong
Listen to your dogheart
Follow your instincts and emotions
Let it out of the yard
Don't hold back your love
Take it from a dirty young man
Believe the advice of a young man with experience
Contributed by Ava V. Suggest a correction in the comments below.