Just What You Want — The Grogans

review by emily brower

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Melbourne based surf rock band, The Grogans, recently released their debut album, Just What You Want. The trio consisting of members, Quin Grunden, Angus Vasic, and Jordan Lewis, combining their technique and artistry to culminate a style that lives somewhere between the sound of The Monkees and The Frights. Their high energy live performances have made them a fast favourite in the Melbourne scene, earning spots in multiple festivals including Gizzfest (2017) and NinchFest (2018), plus sold-out shows across the city.

Grunden, Vasic, and Lewis first started making music together in high school and got their start by playing backyard shows in exchange for beer. Since then, their audience has expanded fast, even leading to a recent tour. As The Grogans have grown, they have brought a manager on board and are on the path to booking larger shows and getting their name more prominent in the industry. In an interview with the Creative Confessions Podcast, the band explained that now they have a manager, they have more time to just focus on their music, as they no longer have to do all the contacting and booking.

The Grogans have previously released two EPs, Grogan Grove (2018) and Twangs n’ Cans (2017), but Just What You Want is a fresh start for the band. The trio have grown as a group since the release of their first EP in 2017 and this is just the beginning for the evolution of their sound. Starting the album off with, “Mad Minds”, the energetically bouncy guitar riffs and drumbeats transport you to the center of a mosh pit. The electric vocals entwined throughout gives you just a taste of the raw sound The Grogans have cultivated.

“Do You Ever Wonder” and “Money Will Chase You”, both have a calmer tone than the first few songs on the album but continue to hold true to the surf rock and punk influence that remains prevalent throughout The Grogans discography. The acoustic guitar strums throughout “Money Will Chase You” are mesmerizing and you can’t help but feel like you should be sitting on the beach as the sun goes down.

The ninth track, “Waste My Time” has a similar sound to “Lemon To My Lime” off the Grogan Grove EP and is the love song you wish someone wrote for you in high school. The lyrics, “Cause I don’t wanna waste my time on them / I wanna waste it with you” provide a love sick sweetness that contrasts the fun and carefree instrumentals.

Closing off the album with, “Nobody’s”, the bands diverse style is put on full display as their sound develops to contain a more soulful and funkier vibe. With a subtle background tambourine beat and the incorporation of bongos you can let your mind drift away and just get lost in the music.

Just What You Want is an enticing debut album and an exciting start to what will hopefully be a long career for The Grogans. The album can be found on Spotify, Apple Music, iTunes, and other music streaming sites!