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.
Vacant Lot
The Growlers Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Who hasn't a ship
Same salty song
And curled up lips
In the land of the brave
And running out of vain
Waiting for a guy, silver-eyed
Kinda wishes that he wouldn't show up
Cause it's all become a stain
Of the terra cotta mud
Way down in the valley of the mud
It opens and closes
Before you can get back up
Lay down
Face and belly in the mud
It opens and closes
Before you can get back up
He's scratching on a ticket
With chewed up nails
Following a rainbow
That's grown too pale
Red lights paint the strip in neon blood
Gambling on the rides so he raises his thumb
Which raised his eyes
But nothing seems to come
Thinkin' bout the train
Hauling terra cotta mud
Way down in the valley of the mud
It opens and closes
Before you can get back up
Lay down
Face and belly in the mud
It opens and closes
Before you can get back up
Gotta crawl out of the vacant lot
But the helping hands
Have all been burned
Cried wolf, a thousand times
Used up every line
Lady Luck won't turn again
Way down in the valley of the mud
It opens and closes
Before you can get back up
Lay down
Face and belly in the mud
It opens and closes
Before you can get back up
Way down in the valley of the mud
It opens and closes
Before you can get back up
Lay down
Face and belly in the mud
It opens and closes
Before you can get back up
In "Vacant Lot," The Growlers present a picture of a man who seems lost and disconnected from the world around him - a sailor without a ship, scratching on a ticket with chewed up nails. The references to the "land of the brave" suggest that he's living in America, a country where opportunity supposedly abounds, but he seems to be running out of time and options, waiting for someone or something to save him. The reference to a guy with silver eyes, like a bullet train, raises the question of whether he's waiting for a specific person or simply dreaming of an escape that may never come.
The imagery of the "terra cotta mud" is particularly striking - it suggests a landscape that's been worn down and drained of life, a place where nothing can grow. It's a metaphor for the man's own situation, which has become a "stain" that he can't escape. The idea of the valley opening and closing, trapping him in the mud, reinforces this sense of being stuck or trapped.
The chorus of the song repeats the image of someone laying face down in the mud, trapped and struggling to get back up. The idea of a "vacant lot" suggests an empty space that should be full of possibility, but becomes instead a trap for those who fall into it. The reference to Lady Luck suggests that the man has some relationship to chance and gambling, but that his luck has run out. All of these images work together to create a picture of a man who is trapped and struggling, unable to find a way out of his predicament.
Line by Line Meaning
He's looking like a sailor
He appears to be lost and directionless, like a sailor who has no ship to steer.
Who hasn't a ship
He doesn't have a clear destination or purpose in life.
Same salty song
He keeps repeating the same pattern of behavior and making the same mistakes, like a sailor singing the same old sea shanty.
And curled up lips
His facial expression shows a sense of disappointment and defeat, as if he has given up on his dreams.
In the land of the brave
He is living in a country known for its courage and freedom.
And running out of vain
He is losing hope and confidence, as if his efforts are becoming pointless.
Waiting for a guy, silver-eyed
He is waiting for someone who is unique and extraordinary, with eyes that shine like silver.
Like a bullet train
This person is expected to arrive quickly and with great force, like a high-speed train.
Kinda wishes that he wouldn't show up
Ironically, he is starting to feel apprehensive about this person's arrival because he has lost faith in the possibility of change.
Cause it's all become a stain
His situation has become so grim that it feels like an indelible mark on his life.
Of the terra cotta mud
This stain is brown and earthy, like mud made from a type of clay known as terra cotta.
Way down in the valley of the mud
He is now in a low place, surrounded by dirt and filth.
It opens and closes
He can see glimpses of hope, but they disappear just as quickly as they appear.
Before you can get back up
He keeps falling down and struggling to get back up again.
Lay down
He has reached a point of exhaustion and defeat.
Face and belly in the mud
He is completely immersed in his struggle, with no hope for relief.
He's scratching on a ticket
He is trying his luck and taking a risk, hoping for a big payoff.
With chewed up nails
He is nervous and anxious, as if he has been biting his nails out of stress.
Following a rainbow
He is pursuing a dream or a fantasy, something that seems impossible to attain.
That's grown too pale
This dream is losing its vibrancy and fading away.
Red lights paint the strip in neon blood
The lights of Las Vegas, a gambling mecca, are like bloody wounds that lure in desperate people.
Gambling on the rides so he raises his thumb
He is hitchhiking, hoping for someone to rescue him and offer him a way out of this mess.
Which raised his eyes
He begins to feel a glimmer of hope when someone stops to offer him a ride.
But nothing seems to come
Just when he thinks he has a chance, he is left disappointed and frustrated once again.
Thinkin' bout the train
He is reflecting on how his life has derailed, like a train that has gone off its tracks.
Hauling terra cotta mud
The train is carrying a heavy load of dirt and grime, much like the load he's carrying in his life.
Gotta crawl out of the vacant lot
He realizes that he needs to make a bold move and escape from his current situation.
But the helping hands
He has relied on other people to bail him out before, but they're not there for him anymore.
Have all been burned
His relationships and connections have been damaged or destroyed.
Cried wolf, a thousand times
He has made false alarms and exaggerated his troubles in the past, so nobody believes him anymore.
Used up every line
He has exhausted all his excuses and stories, so he has nothing left to gain sympathy or assistance.
Lady Luck won't turn again
He has relied too much on luck and chance, and now there's no more good fortune to be had.
Contributed by Nolan B. Suggest a correction in the comments below.