Liner Notes by Jake Tully On Troubled, Andy Groke has abandoned glorifying a menagerie of autobiographical virulent imagery and instead focuses on dealing with internalizing toxicity. Stepping forward as Toxic Boy, Groke assumes the position of weathered troubadour with some immense perspective by way of recounting how old habits die hard. It may seem simple for a Southern California artist to hold court as one who has escaped causalities of the lifestyle. However, what separates Toxic Boy from the pack is Groke’s ability to marry the reverence of his mortality with a blunderbuss of lust for life. Neither cautionary tale nor spitting into the wind, Toxic Boy is an introspective look at a good time without making a spectacle of introversion. Deeply influenced by the likes of Eddie Vedder and Neil Young, Groke’s sound ranges from crawling out of the maw of a sludgy creature to a muted bastion of the morning recovery after a long night out. The jangle of “Let Her Sleep” is a happy medium amidst the grunge-entitled ferocity of “Toxic Boy” and the dour march of “Wino.” In short, Toxic Boy’s directionless theme juxtaposes nicely with a calculated scattershot aim at a variety of styles. Troubled ultimately culminates to a charged attack with the visceral format of an album heading the raid. Troubled is a mighty fine debut from an artist who has prioritized both his musical idols as well as the tribulations of song craft within his work. It’s honest, personal, and absorbing as a memoir of Southern California life.