Girl Scout
Self Titled EP
Independent (2014)
Musically tight and lyrically inventive, Pittsburgh, PA-based, self-proclaimed “slacker rock” group Girl Scout seems to draw inspiration from various indie rock groups of the ‘90s and early 2000s - it doesn’t at all seem a coincidence that the band included a cover of Pavement’s “Cut Your Hair” as the b-side to their first single. Built around Jeremy Zerbe’s vulnerable voice that reminds me a bit of Death Cab for Cutie’s Ben Gibbard, the band’s 2014 self-titled debut EP begins with the initially gentle track “Cops are Here.” The relaxed guitar, quiet lead vocals and cooing falsetto backup soon give way to a more immediate, much louder punk-derived closing section with a rowdy chorus of snotty vocals. This track more or less shows everything that the band is capable of, since the remainder of the EP switches between the song formulas and sounds heard in this first track. “Good Hustle, Hotpants” recalls The Dandy Warhols circa the Thirteen Tales... album, having humorous lyrics providing a sort of satirical look at the process of becoming a rock star and dealing with new-found fame. Luke Rifugiato joins Zerbe on guitar for this song, and the overall tone of the track is a bit … Read more
John, The Void
Self Titled EP
Independent (2014)
Proving that Italians can do the doomy, post-metal thing just as well as anyone else, mysterious and methodical five-piece group … Read more
Earthless & Heavy Blanket
In a Dutch Haze
Outer Battery Records / Roadburn Records (2014)
Hour-long songs can be somewhat of a hard sell. For starters, there has to be an audience of listeners who … Read more
London Grammar
If You Wait
Columbia (2013)
Heartbreak in its truest form is one of life's most sobering and unyielding experiences. As the tedious old adage goes: … Read more
