New Albums [9/13]

This week's a pretty good one for new releases.  Girls' Father, Son, Holy Ghost as well as St. Vincent's Strange Mercy will be officially released.  I've listened through both of them, and I thought I'd give them both a quick review.


Girls - Father, Son, Holy Ghost: Girls is a San Francisco band, whose singer had a fucked up childhood in the Children of God cult, that makes ramshackle, charming, lo-fi, Beach Boys-sounding rock music. If you haven't heard their music, listen to Lust for Life, Laura, and/or Hellhole Ratrace off their first album (which was terribly titled as "Album").  Anyways, this album is definitely more expensive sounding than their debut, with more intricate and varied arrangements.  However, the songwriting is just not there.  I listened through the whole thing twice and found nothing to like.  Ironically, the only song that didn't make me want to vomit was the one called Vomit.  For that, I'll give this album a point.  Well, actually, by the time they had dragged the song out to the 6 minute mark, I felt pretty sick to my stomach, so I should probably take away a point.  So there,

Score: 0 Points

St. Vincent - Strange Mercy: St. Vincent is a skinny little indie chick that can absolutely shred on the guitar and has a beautiful, clear singing voice.  Definitely someone I would pay good money to see live.  Anyways, Strange Mercy is her third album, and the first new music from her since her breakthrough sophomore album, Actor. It's more of the same: good songs sung beautifully, juxtaposed with some seriously grimy guitar lines, all backed with very clean production.  Songs of note:

1. Surgeon: Don't know if it's about getting sick, getting depressed, or getting fucked, but it's solid all the way through.  The chorus could be better, but it's all right I suppose.  1 Point
2. Strange Mercy: The best thing she's ever done, hands down.  I love the melody that goes with "I'll be with lost boys/sneaking out where the shivers won't find you" and the synth line that comes in after it is even better.  For that, 2 Points.
3. Champagne Year: I love the melody for the "It's not a perfect plan/but it's the one we've got."  Also, love the lyric "I make a living telling people what they want to hear/it's not a killing but it's enough to keep the cobwebs clear."  2 points for that.  On the other hand, the song is down right boring for the whole second half, so minus 1 point for a total of 1 Point.
4. Year of the Tiger: First, off, she gets 2 point for knowing the Chinese Zodiac; one point for being educated, and another point for the Asian culture aspect.  Other than that, I really like the first verse, and I would really like the chorus, if only it wasn't so annoyingly repetitive.  However, the "Oh America can I owe you one" bit is just awful.  So, minus 1 point, leaving this song at 1 Point.

Score: 5 Point

(Note: All songs not mentioned should be assumed to be garbage and simply ignored.  Well, unless you have a serious hard on for the artist.  Then, you can just trick yourself into thinking it's all good.)

tl;dr: Girls released a complete turd while St. Vincent released a decent album with one great song.