Lyrics from Cryin' Smoke

According to band members, the name Ganglians arose from a portmanteau of “Gangz” and “Aliens,” the first term being considered too thuggish for their psych-pop style. The Ganglians formed in Sacramento after Grubbs was asked to play a show and asked the other three to be his backing band. In 2009, the band released their debut single, a split 7” with Eat Skull. In the spring of that year the band played SXSW and in May released both their self-title EP and their first full-length album Monster Head Room on the label Woodist. After signing to Lefse Records the band released their second album Still Living, which had a sound shaped with the help of Dirty Projector’s producer Robby Moncrieff.