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.
Hiding Under Covers
The Growlers Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Just like the coming of the dawn
So good that you never wanna stop
But you know that it's kinda wrong
But you can't be hard on the lovers
Can't be too quick to judge
It's hard to choose the right thing to do when you're so in love
Don't look for reason to blame
You don't need to condone
It's enough when they feel shame
Leave them alone
Hiding under covers doesn't help
Lovers have a very special glow
Their eyes and their hearts explode
Soon enough everbody's gonna know
I know it's not a game
And I know it's none of my business
I'm not one to push the blame
And I sure don't wanna be a witness
But you can't be hard on the lovers
Can't be too quick to judge
It's hard to choose the right thing to do when you're so in love
Your heart and your mind play dumb like when you were still young
Don't look for reason to blame
You don't need to condone
It's enough when they feel shame
Leave them alone
But you can't be hard on the lovers
Can't be too quick to judge
It's hard to choose the right thing to do when you're so in love
The lyrics to The Growlers' song Hiding Under Covers explore the complex emotions that arise when someone is caught in the midst of a forbidden romance. The singer acknowledges that there are some feelings that are impossible to resist, even if they know that it is wrong. The chorus emphasizes that lovers have a special connection that is impossible to ignore or turn off.
However, the singer also recognizes the difficulties involved in this situation. They suggest that it is challenging to know what the right thing to do is when someone is so in love. The lyrics hint at the idea that there may be societal pressure or judgement against the lovers, yet the singer urges empathy and understanding instead. They suggest that shame is perhaps punishment enough and that others should not be quick to judge or blame.
Overall, the lyrics capture the bittersweet reality of a taboo relationship - the joy and passion it brings contrasted with the guilt and shame associated with it. In this way, the song offers a thoughtful and nuanced exploration of the many emotions and complexities involved in a forbidden romance.
Line by Line Meaning
Some things you can't turn off
There are some things that are impossible to control or stop from happening.
Just like the coming of the dawn
Just like how the sunrise is inevitable, some things in life are unavoidable.
So good that you never wanna stop
When something is so enjoyable, you never want it to end.
But you know that it's kinda wrong
Despite how good it feels, you know that certain actions are morally questionable or ethically ambiguous.
But you can't be hard on the lovers
You can't be too harsh or judgmental towards those who are in love.
Can't be too quick to judge
It's important to withhold judgment and not jump to conclusions without taking into account all the nuances of a situation.
It's hard to choose the right thing to do when you're so in love
When emotions are involved, it can be difficult to make the best decision for everyone involved.
Your heart and your mind play dumb like when you were still young
When you're in love, your feelings and logic can be clouded, making it difficult to see things clearly with perspective.
Don't look for reason to blame
It's not productive to assign blame or try to find fault in a situation.
You don't need to condone
You don't have to approve of someone's actions to give them space or respect their autonomy.
It's enough when they feel shame
If someone knows they've made a mistake or acted inappropriately, they will likely feel remorse and shame without external pressure.
Leave them alone
The best course of action may be to step back and let others handle their own business without interference or unsolicited advice.
Hiding under covers doesn't help
Avoiding a problem or ignoring it won't make it go away, and in fact could make it worse in the long run.
Lovers have a very special glow
When people are in love, they tend to radiate their happiness and passion for life.
Their eyes and their hearts explode
Their feelings of love and happiness are so intense that they feel like they could burst out of their bodies.
Soon enough everybody's gonna know
Even if people try to keep their love a secret, it often becomes apparent through their behavior and interactions with one another.
I know it's not a game
Love is not something to be taken lightly or frivolously.
And I know it's none of my business
It's important to respect people's privacy and not get involved in matters that don't concern you.
I'm not one to push the blame
Blaming others rarely solves problems or makes situations better.
And I sure don't wanna be a witness
It can be uncomfortable and emotionally taxing to witness conflicts or situations that are difficult to navigate.
Contributed by Luke E. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@lu6716
Some things you can't turn off
Just like the coming of the dawn
So good that you never wanna stop
But you know that it's kinda wrong
But you can't be hard on the lovers
Can't be too quick to judge
It's hard to choose the right thing to do when you're so in love
Your heart and your mind play dumb like when you were still young
Don't look for reason to blame
You don't need to condole
It's enough when they feel shame
Leave them alone
Hiding under covers doesn't help
Lovers have a very special glow
Their eyes and their hearts explode
Soon enough everbody's gonna know
Well I know it's not a game
And I know it's none of my business
But I'm not one to push the blame
But I sure don't wanna be a witness
But you can't be hard on the lovers
Can't be too quick to judge
It's…
@racerback2715
I could listen to The Growlers on repeat for an eternity.
@mariach7691
i found this in 2019 ... it's awesome
@cundalini7996
fuck yea it is!
@trademarkjoe8879
The best band in the world
@girmonsproductions
The bass line is I N S A N E ♥
@danielespinosafernandez2874
Best Growlers' song
@girmonsproductions
There is simply no definition of the "best song" ! All of them have something special in them
@extremely.hung.individual2693
Oh bro the growlers don’t miss. Every song is their best
@oda5147
my most listened to song of 2020 :)
@santiagohernandez..
Some day I'll have a beer in my hand watching them play. To bad they don't come to Houston...