Grouplove missed the sophomore slump with its latest album, Spreading Rumors, an emotional, accelerated piece that takes the energy of the band's earlier work and compresses it into tight pop anthems that sound composed without being formulaic. Every track enters a unique world in terms of pacing and narrative, and like the band's performances, every one is different.
Between rehearsals, Grouplove vocalist and guitarist Christian Zucconi opened up about how excited he was to revive the band's buzzed-about live shows.
"The feedback from the crowd is what dictates the show," he says. "We switch it up and don't even play the same songs every night. You never know what's going to happen onstage. You need to be out of control, but so in control that it works." There's plenty of dancing, and the opportunity for stage-diving. "You don't plan it; if it happens and feels right, we definitely go for it."
As far as the improved production on Spreading Rumors, Zucconi explains: "When we went to record this record, we were much tighter as a unit, so we wanted to capture the live energy that we bring onstage." He compares the live performances to a big dance party, "pretty special, super cathartic." Coming off an acoustic tour of smaller venues, he promises the shows will also bring a greater sense of intimacy.
