Weekly Release Spotlight: Girls
Posted on 9/26/2011
Girls
Father, Son, Holy Ghost
True Panther Sounds
Father, Son, Holy Ghost
True Panther Sounds
Thus far 2011 has proven to surprise music fanatics with the numerous high quality (or lo depending on the band) records coming from past favorites and newcomers alike. With the surplus of supergroups and musicians crawling out of the woodwork, innovative ground is being tread upon more and more frequently. On Father, Son, Holy Ghost, San Francisco trio (with the addition of drummer Darren Weiss) have created a sound that will be regarded as one of the most solidly recorded and sonically impressive straight-forward rock albums of 2011. Despite what realm of adoring fan your earbuds place you in, the new record from Girls out on True Panther Sounds proves to be a remarkable addition to their already stunning recording career.
As musical technology advances and production tools are bein so easily accessible, singers like Christopher Owens are highly regarded for maximizing the use of their vocals as an instrument. Owens delivers a classic yet nuanced vocal performance that emphasizes every inflection and earnestness, heightening the delicacy of his introverted lyrics. As Costello played within the pop realm and made everyone croon along to his 50s inspired diddies, Owens with keyboardist Dan Eisenberg and guitarist John Anderson bring the sound of clean driving guitars and full embodiment of a space to life, especially in songs like “Die,” where Anderson tears through the distorted backdrop of the band playing at the fullest. Despite the title, this track is the emotional equivalent of the adrenaline rush of facing one’s own mortality and running like hell to make the most of your remaining days. The soaring guitarwork on this album is not only impressive, but each track fully embodies a multitude of emotions, and while songs range from the 2-8 minute marks, each song is representative of an emotional journey. Not only does it tear through three minutes of exhilaration, it breaks just seconds before the third minute to allow you to catch your breath, and realize where exactly you just came from. With beautifully composed and tonally emotive presentation, the entire album works its’ way from warily admitting personal shortcomings in introspective pieces where Owens is barely whispering into the microphone, to moments where the energy could not be higher, the sonic vastness of this album screams to be left of repeat. You may think that you can recognize certain songs or limericks, but the group did a phenomenal job of taking classic instrumentation and reviving the definition of a classic rock album.
Other standout tracks include the phenomenal slow builder “Forgiveness,” a track that begins with Owens crooning into the microphone and the trials of moving past a rough spot. The song emultates the internal and external stress of working past emotional hardships, ending with a truly incendiary and heartwrenching climax that is sure to touch even the coldest of hearts and begs to be replayed. Not every track is as tragic as “Die” or “Forgiveness”- the group even nods at contemporary pop songs as they work with joyous melodies. In “Love Like A River,” the group pays homage to the simplistic yet nostalgic early rock n’ roll diddies in his loving confession. While the differences between this album and their debut stack up, leaving some fans unsure about the quality of this album, Girls have created a signatures sound amongst many groups who have already stood the test of time and will surely continue to leave everything on the table when it comes to music- a trait that is always to be admired.
Stream: "Vomit"