Grocer's sophomore album, Numbers Game, is full of tricks, nods, and winks as the band rearranges the puzzle pieces of 90s-influenced rock and dissonant pop into something utterly their own. Originally imagined as a four song EP, Numbers Game came about in two quick bursts: The first when the quartet isolated themselves in rural Georgia in January 2021 to focus on writing and escaping the pandemic, and the second immediately following an overwhelming six-week national tour the summer of that year.
Frequently, the songs find Grocer attempting to escape the turmoil of the outside world by turning inward, only to find struggles existing just as intensely within themselves: scattered throughout are allusions to technology dependencies, social complacencies, and overall realizations that they may not be the angels they presumed they were. Recorded quickly in hopes of mirroring the unhinged nature of Grocer’s live performances, Numbers Game is a cathartic, immersive dive into a band that refuses to stop searching.
Under The Radar Premiere: Grocer Shares New Single “Calling Out”
"The band displays a magnetic talent for idiosyncratic indie rock, taking recognizable elements from ‘90s rock and Britpop touchstones and reframing them in inventive new contexts"
FLOOD Grocer Pick Apart the Toxic Male Psyche on New Track “Pick a Way”
"Drummer Cody Nelson takes on lead vox, escorting the band’s wonky power-pop sound in a considerably darker direction, both instrumentally and lyrically"
Post-Trash Grocer - "Mountain Home" | Post-Trash Premiere
"The album’s second single is mangled and distorted, still with a pop sheen at its core, but filtered through noise rock filth and post-hardcore tonality. The bass digs deep and the guitars have a serrated quality to their piercing attack, offering a freaked out riff that runs a wild juxtaposition with the hypnotic rhythm"
WXPN Grocer’s New Album ‘Numbers Game’ Is Out This Spring Via Grind Select; Listen To “Pick A Way”
"Charmingly weird... a mix of mathy complexity and radiant rock"
The Alternative Album Premiere: Grocer — ‘Numbers Game’
"Instrumental breaks and shifts in cadence are constantly pushing the group’s pop sensibilities to the brink before settling into coherent song structures, and it’s a lot of fucking fun to listen to. Coupled with the idiosyncrasies of each lyricist and the nuances of their individual songwriting, the downright zaniness of Numbers Game makes it impossible to ignore"
All songs written and performed by Grocer:
Cody Nelson
Danielle Lovier
Emily Daly
Nicholas Rahn
Pedal Steel Guitar on "Annie Always" played by Zena Kay
Recorded by Nicholas Rahn in their basement in Philadelphia
Mixed by Dave Vettraino at Public House Recordings
Mastered by Greg Obis at Chicago Mastering
Artwork by Joshua Curry
