Girlpool have been around for a few years ago, making some seriously punchy folk punk. The ladies of Girlpool on their self titled debut was 16 minutes of Spunky personality and great Folky licks. Obviously there wasn't THAT much to go by being such a short album but they were on the right track to make some great stuff. Girlpool's 2015 full length debut I had mixed feelings on. This album was by far one of the loudest, most passionate quiet albums you're going to hear, and tracks like "Emily", "Crowded Stranger" and "Before the World Was Big" were brilliant. But other tracks here seemed a little underdeveloped. However, these new singles have been some of Girlpool's most fiery yet, let's discuss this album!
This album starts off with “123”. It’s a very quiet intro, but Girlpool more times than not certainly start on the quiet side and build to their sound. The vocals here are light, and on the surface there’s not much going on. But this one grows rather quickly and becomes a scuzzy alternative rock that almost has a sort of post-grunge element to it. The music of Girlpool since day one has always been sort of slow burning, you may listen to half of these tracks at first and not have anything hit you at all. But you get wrapped up in tracks like “123” after a while, especially in those sweet harmonies. It’s a charming intro. “Sleepless” is up next, and this is the first example of what I seriously do enjoy about this album. I’ve seen the potential in Girlpool for years, but have always sort of wanted them to get a little more straightforward, and this is exactly what I hear on this one. There’s nothing quiet about “Sleepless” at all, and I love the very groovy bass lines right off the bat. I love the very poetic lyrics here, as well as one again that sort of throwback feel. Girlpool’s vocals to me have always seemed to be such a quiet storm in themselves. What I mean is, they almost always come off so soft and vulnerable, but they always end up packing a punch by the end. And that’s something I’ve truly always appreciated. Not to mention, I love the way the instrumentals here continue to build and build and then POP for the chorus. Now, the ladies of Girlpool have always had a sort of folk element to their music. But “Corner Store” introduces an almost alt-country feel that I can actually really dig. This one is short, but it’s sweet and to the point. Plus, I feel a serious excitement listening to tracks like this, and I honestly never know when the ladies are going to blare into some of the louder instrumentals. Overall, “Corner Store” works nicely. Then we have tracks like “Your Heart”, which right from the intro I love the very slow pace and slow burning atmosphere. By this point, honestly I’m getting a sort of old school Emo vibe from this, maybe even almost a Brand New vibe. But it’s moments like that the very quiet and very emotional sound that Girlpool have that make it seriously boom. There’s a serious hypnotic vibe to this, everything continues to work so ncely. Also, as far as lyrics go, this album has some serious teeth, you don’t want to mess with this.
While this album is pretty enjoyable overall, there are certainly some down portions. On “Kiss And Burn”, Girlpool go for a more upbeat track with no buildup at all and just go for a more straightforward alternative rock sound. To be honest though, this one for me comes off sort of awkward and not sounding like Girlpool at all. I like the continuing growth of the folky sound as well as the alt-country sound the ladies are going with. Btu structurally, I feel like this one just doesn’t vibe well. “Fast Dust” at the very least shows Girlpool going back in the direction that made earlier tracks so punchy. I love the way that their soft, folky sound here clearly is hiding something much greater underneath, and this one almost has an Elliot Smith vibe in the very quiet delivery of the vocals. “Fast Dust” has some of the sweetest vocals of the entire album as well. But instrumentally, this one is easily one of the biggest duds. I do enjoy a lot of parts to this, but I still feel like some of the earlier and grungier tracks have come off the best so far. The album’s title track is up next, and “Powerplant” certainly comes off smooth. The sweet vocals are here, and the riff on this one is a little more lively and jolly than most of the stuff here. Not to mention, as far as a catchy sound goes, this is certainly a high point for me. And this goes without saying, but I know I haven’t said this yet, the Sleater Kinney vibe here is seriously real. It’s not wowing but it’s certainly above average. In the future though, I would seriously love to see Girlpool feel with a bigger and deeper album. Then we have tracks like “High Rise Man”, which is easily the one track of the album that should have been left out. This track outside of the vocals is completely awkward. The instrumentals seem so unsure of themselves constantly. Thankfully though this track is only a little over a minute.
Thankfully, as a whole this album has a whole lot going for it. On “Soup”, I feel like all elements of this track work wonderfully together. There’s such a mysterious vibe to this one, instrumentally and lyrically. As far as the instrumentals go, I love the very whimsical vibe in between these grungy licks. Girlpool’s formula is just so simple, yet so effective, and I’m certainly invested in their sound. But then I hear tracks like “She Goes By”, and I really can’t take much of anything from it at all. This one is just a little too straightforward for me. I love Girlpool’s slow burning tracks, but without that or their usual atmosphere or buildup and all of this release, this comes off as nothing but grunge worship. “She Goes By” really blows right by me without making an imprint, it barely even sounds like a Girlpool track. Thankfully, when it comes to tracks like “It Gets More Blue”, this is so much more of what I was expecting to hear. It’s smooth, it’s quaint, and it just comes off as so totally THEM. The more I listen to this album, the more I love the very quiet atmosphere that has just so much going on beneath the surface. “It Gets More Blue has some of my favorite vocal harmonies on the entire album, and I love how raw the production is here and on a few other tracks. But once again, I just really wish this album was longer and deeper, maybe even a little more conceptual. Girlpool end off this album with “Static Somewhere”, and I’m so glad that they’re ending off with a slower track. There’s some serious buildup in these drums, and I love the very slow and dreary vocals here. Also, the way the guitar pick up for the chorus is seriously brilliant. Hell, this one even has a little instrumental jam about halfway through that comes off seriously chaotic. “Static Somewhere” is seriously decent, and ends the album off on a great note.
Rating: 7.6/10
Give A Listen To: "Sleepless", "Your Heart", "Soup", "Static Somewhere”
Overall Thoughts: Girlpool have come out here with their most consistent and enjoyable release yet. The ladies of Girlpool have compiled a solid collection of tracks, most that follow the usual formula for the band, meaning very quiet vocals and often more chaotic instrumentals. There are a few more underwhelming moments, and also I seriously need a little bit of a longer album from these ladies. But at the end of the day, this is pretty rad.
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