The Griswolds - High Times for Low Lives

The Griswolds
High Times for Low Lives
2016
Spotify

This project (my blog) is interesting in a couple ways, but one of the things that is jarring is when you listen to a truly great album one day and then a real downer the next. High Times for Low Lives unfortunately is that downer. The sophomore release from the Aussie electropop outfit The Griswolds this new record doubles down on the drug references and and skitters about from musical influence to musical influence. "YDLM" is some strange call and response a la Gwen Stefani complete with a rap verse from Lizzo. The song however is so incredibly bad that it is hard to even listen to. It has an upbeat sound, but for no reason as the lyrical themes never line up with the music. The entire record feels like a party, but one you would never want to be at. The people may look beautiful and the drugs might be free but just behind that veneer is some of the most vapid music you are going to hear. Singer Chris Whitehall does his best Michael Jackson impression on "Rufio" and "Feels So Right" but it just doesn't make any sense. He is not an R&B or technically a pop singer but if these tracks were on Thriller I really would not be all that surprised. Everything on the record is also produced so heavily that any organic or warm sentiment you may have gotten vanishes into thin synth.

I mentioned drug references earlier, and they happen throughout the record, but "James Joint" (an obvious cannabis reference) is sheer pandering. Anyone who has ever actually smoked weed would not write a song this ridiculous. Whatever electropop excitement they had on their debut record Be Impressive is totally gone here and they have moved hard towards the middle. The record also has two interludes which seem to be completely pointless never really advancing the record as a whole one way or another. I guess the theme is a party since the track "Birthday" leads into the "Comedown" interlude but they do not tie in, nor is the idea all that clear. "Lookin' For Love" has an electronic drum beat that is nothing short of annoying, and the lyrics about how love is hard to find is such well worn territory that The Griswolds take is nearly pointless. It would be nice if there was some kind of lifeline on High Times for Low Lives but it is track after track of simply bad music. Unless you are 10 and under or really hate your ears avoid this record like the plague. Not good.

2.2 out of 10