Taking influence from the lo-fi and slowcore of the 1990s, the ambling, intimate indie rock of Austin, Texas duo Hovvdy drew comparisons to the likes of Duster, Yo La Tengo, and Pavement with their earliest releases, including their full-length debut, 2016's Taster. Working with an outside producer for the first time, Hovvdy settled into a more coherent sound that brought lyrics to the fore on their third album, 2019's Heavy Lifter, while keeping things distinctly warm and low-key. It set the stage for the heartfelt True Love in 2021.

Drummers Will Taylor and Charlie Martin formed Hovvdy in 2014, when they decided to start writing material after playing guitar for only a short while. The duo's laid-back and simplistic approach first appeared on the seven-track EP that December. The following year, the pair teamed up with fellow Austin band Loafer to release the split single "Stay Warm." Hovvdy then headed out on tour across the U.S. before recording their debut album, Taster. Arriving in April 2016, it caught the ear of Philly-based indie label Double Double Whammy, which remastered and reissued the album a year later. 2017 also saw the duo back on tour, with support slots for Pinegrove and Downtown Boys. Hovvdy's sophomore album, the whispery Cranberry, followed in February 2018.

In mid-2019, the duo teamed up with labelmate Lomelda, covering each other's songs for the EP Covers. In the meantime, they recorded third long-player Heavy Lifter in various home studios in Texas with co-producer Ben Littlejohn. It arrived on Double Double Whammy and Specialist Subject Records (U.K.) in October 2019. Both members of Hovvdy were married before returning with True Love, their Grand Jury debut, in 2021. It was co-produced by Andrew Sarlo (Bon Iver, Big Thief) and tracked at his studio in Los Angeles. ~ Rich Wilson & Marcy Donelson, Rovi