Posts Tagged ‘Girls’
Review: Girls - Broken Dreams Club EP
Monday, November 29th, 2010
Need to Know: Despite my bias against Girls for being the most un-google-able band ever, I have decided to put it aside in order to revere in their genius. Painstaking research has seemed to pay off however, because the biography of frontman Christopher Owens has lead me to infer that the immediate success of Girls is a reflection of the chaotic nature of Owens’ own life. He grew up around the world in the Children of God cult with his single mother who had to prostitute herself and allowed her eldest son to die in infancy because the cult was against medicine. Later, Owens was coined a “problem child” and subsequently ran away to the States to become a gutter punk, soon finding himself at a famous artist’s ranch in Texas, until eventually joining Holy Shit with Ariel Pink. Suffice to say, the dramatic turn of events of Girls’ stardom after their critically acclaimed album ‘Album’, only seems fitting.
In 100 Words Or So: In a handwritten letter, Christopher Owens refers to ‘Broken Dreams Club’ as a “a snapshot of the horizon”. Indeed, the six track EP is assurance of the positive direction in which Girls are heading. ‘Broken Dreams Club’ is a clear indication of their talent for creating sincere tracks like 50’s opener “The Oh So Protective One” with its Costello-esque vocals. Despite the unfortunate likeness to Conor Oberst in the title track “Broken Dreams Club”, the EP is saved by the upbeat yet melancholic “Alright” and the seven-minute long instrumental closer “Carolina”. Though there is no equivalent for “Lust for Life”, the EP’s single is easily “Heartbreaker”, a hybrid of “Summertime” and “Laura” off ‘Album’, which lends a tone of familiarity.
Best Track: Heartbreaker
RIYL: Elvis Costello, Smith Westerns, Best Coast, Wavves, No Age, The Pains of Being Pure at Heart
Rating: 9/10
Buy, download, steal or don’t bother: Buy
Tags: Album, Broken Dreams Club EP, Girls, Review
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3/17/10 News briefs: Robyn, Saint Etienne, Chapterhouse, Girls and Little Boots
Wednesday, March 17th, 2010
Robyn is talking about her three new albums. She told Pitchfork, “Right now I’m finishing the first one, which is going to come out in June. I’m already working on the second album so I hope that’ll come out sometime after the summer. Then later on maybe another release.”
Having already reissued four albums last year, English dance pop institution Saint Etienne are continuing their reissue series with two more out on May 4th. The trio will re-release Tiger Bay and Finisterre with bonus tracks, the latter of which will include the Doctor Who-sampling “There There My Brigadier.”
Shoegaze pioneers Chapterhouse have announced a handful of tour dates that includes one Canadian date in Toronto at the Horseshoe Tavern on May 1st. The band told Under The Radar, “This really is a one off deal for us so there are no plans for any further shows after these North American dates. It is the original line up except for Greg Moore who is filling in for Russell Barrett on bass.”
Girls have announced a new EP set for release in the spring. Frontman Christopher Owens told Drowned In Sound that he’s written 70 songs and picked the six best. He added, “I want to call the a-side ‘Fucking A and the b-side ‘Fucking B’,” said Owens, “and I want it to be the best EP of all time!”
Finally, Little Boots has cancelled her North American tour. She was scheduled to play two Canadian dates: April 29th at Montreal’s SAT and the 30th at the Phoenix in Toronto. “Unforeseen circumstances and commitments in the UK” are the reasons given.
Tags: Chapterhouse, Girls, Little Boots, Pitchfork, Robyn, Saint Etienne
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2/3/10 News briefs: Jay Reatard, Deerhoof + Xiu Xiu, Pet Shop Boys, The Strokes and Girls + Dum Dum Girls
Wednesday, February 3rd, 2010
A medical examiner has cited that garage punk rocker Jay Reatard died from “cocaine toxicity, and that alcohol was a contributing factor in his death.” Jimmy Lee Lindsey Jr. was found dead at his Memphis home on January 13th. He was 29.
Idiosyncratic indie rock crews Deerhoof and Xiu Xiu will team up to cover the classic Joy Division album Unknown Pleasures live at the Donaufestival in Krems, Austria on April 29th.
Talk about intimate! One lucky contest winner received a private performance in her own home by legendary synth pop duo Pet Shop Boys. Neil Tennant and Chris Lowe re-created part of their spectacular Pandemonium tour in the home of super fan Lorraine Sands.
There has been a lot of speculation about this fourth Strokes album, but according to the band’s website they have officially begun recording it at Avatar Studios in NYC with engineer Gus Oberg and producer Joe Chiccarelli.
Girls and Dum Dum Girls are teaming up for a North American tour this spring. The indie faves will play 11 dates together before they stop to play Coachella. There is one Canadian date: April 9th at the Phoenix Concert Theatre in Toronto.
Tags: Deerhoof, Dum Dum Girls, Girls, jay reatard, Joy Division, Pet Shop Boys, the strokes, Xiu Xiu
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11/9/09 News briefs: Morrissey, RIP Jerry Fuchs, Nick Cave, MGMT/Jay-Z and Girls
Monday, November 9th, 2009
Morrissey ended his show in Liverpool the other night when a water bottle clocked him in the head. The way it bounces off his noggin is actually pretty funny.
Not funny at all was the death of Jerry Fuchs, renowned drummer for !!!, The Juan Maclean and Maserati. Fuchs died early Sunday morning after falling down an elevator shaft at a party in Brooklyn. He will be missed.
Nick Cave is developing his dirty new book, The Death of Bunny Munro, into a TV series. Director John Hillcoat, who adapted Cave’s screenplay in The Proposition, is said to be involved with the project.
If you bought your copy of Blueprint 3 to hear MGMT’s expected collaboration, you may have noticed that they aren’t actually on it. Jay-Z told Gotham Magazine it was because “MGMT turned me down.” Whoa, who turns down Jay-Z?
Finally, if you were planning on seeing Girls in Montreal tonight, I’m afraid they’ve had to cancel their gig. One of the members lost their passport, so they’re waiting on a new one. Tomorrow’s show in Toronto is still scheduled to happen.
Tags: !!!, Girls, Jay-Z, Jerry Fuchs, John Hillcoat, Maserati, MGMT, Morrissey, nick cave, The Death of Bunny Munro, The Juan Maclean
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11/2/09 News briefs: Girls, Hot Chip, Nikolai Fraiture, Titus Andronicus and Weezer Snuggie
Monday, November 2nd, 2009
Girls have made some adjustments to their line-up, adding a new guitarist and drummer. And they’ve also hinted that there is a XXX rated version of their new NSFW video for single “Lust For Life.” Whether we see that, who knows? (Likely.)
Hot Chip have announced that they will be putting out a new album in February. According to the band, this will “warm the cockles of our soul right in the middle of the bleak mid-winter.” You can pre-order the special CD/DVD version here.
Though his bandmate Julian Casablancas is stealing all the attention at the moment, The Strokes’ Nikolai Fraiture got into the headlines by finishing the ING New York City Marathon yesterday. He can’t really brag though - Nikolai came in 23,347th place overall.
Titus Andronicus frontman Patrick Stickles had a rough time on Halloween night playing Weezer covers at a VICE party in Williamsburg.
And speaking of Weezer, you can now order the official Weezer Snuggie. Good/bad news: the new album Raditude comes with it.
Tags: Girls, Hot Chip, Nikolai Fraiture, Patrick Stickles, Snuggie, the strokes, Titus Andronicus, VICE, Weezer
Posted in Earworm, News | No Comments »
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