LA’s music scene is ripe with the most powerful female artists residing under the umbrella of being named the pinnacle of cool. Just one listen and look at the likes of: Deap Vally, Sky Ferreira and Warpaint, backs-up and helps surpass this sky-high claim. A duo, consisting of Cleo Tucker and Harmony Tividad, going under the name of Girlpool, are the next band to intensify LA’s musical heritage, thanks to their self-titled EP Girlpool.
‘Blah Blah Blah‘, the satirical opener of Girlpool, is a track which wouldn’t go amiss on fellow LA duo, Best Coast’s Crazy For You. Channelling a loose and raunchy Riot grrrl sound; ‘Blah Blah Blah‘ allows immediate entry into the heavily mysterious world of Girlpool.
With the teenage girls avidly relying on the guitar/bass combination to create a concentrated punch; it’s no surprise for Girlpool‘s second and fourth tracks (‘Paint Me Colours‘ and ‘Plants And Worms‘) to rely deeply on this winning arrangement. The former, ‘Paint Me Colours‘, allows a mix of spidery guitar riffs and a protruding bass to make up its back bone; while ‘Plants And Worms‘ deeply focuses on the melodic happenings between the harmony of Tucker’s and Tividad’s vocals.
On an EP, an album or a compilation; there’s always a stand-out track gripping your lungs and honing your attention. The vivid sound of ‘Jane‘, leaving the listener gasping for breath, is arguably, Girlpool‘s shining moment. Pulling mouths to the floor: the recorded screams and in-depth detail of punching “Tommy” is layered over a simple, repetitive set of chords, making this track straightforward, but thankfully extensively effective.
The appropriately titled ‘Slutmouth‘; a satirical take on the positions of females in modern society and ‘American Beauty‘; a country-inspired track, urging the muse to “eat (me) out to American Beauty”, make up the closing tracks of Girlpool. With ‘American Beauty’ oozing pure sex appeal and ‘Slutmouth‘ being an expression of world-loathing; the juxtaposition of both songs signifies innovation and sheer brilliance the faces behind Girlpool have successfully brought to the table.
For a first, initial release Girlpool simply couldn’t be stronger. A breath of fresh air: Girlpool the debut EP from Girlpool, is available for purchase now.
Ella Scott
@ell44h
ELLA LOUISE SCOTT 