SPREADING THE GOSPEL – GIRLS

Girls are no more. They cease to exist as a band, after just two and a half albums. But there is some great music to be found within that minimal output.

Founded by Christopher Owens and Chet White in 2007, Girls received critical acclaim for their sound taken from anything from fifties rock and roll, sixties surf rock and pop and seventies rock. Owens has an interesting background, growing up, as he did, in the fundamentalist cult Children of God, until aged 16. He wasn’t allowed to listen to music so had no formal education in it. He was, however, allowed to watch movies, to which he started to discover bands.

After he left the Children of God, he devoured all the music and cultural influences he could, and this can certainly be heard in the multitude of influences in Girls albums.

Album (2009)

Key Track: Lust For Life

The debut album by Girls, entitled simply ‘Album’ , proved to be a big critical hit five years ago. Influences as disparate as The Beach Boys, Spiritualized and Buddy Holly can be heard in Lust For Life, Hellhole Rat Race and Laura. It has the raw energy that is found in many bands debut’s, but due to all the different influences and styles being crammed in, it’s not going to be to everyone’s taste.

Broken Dreams Club EP (2010)

Key Track: Heartbreaker

Following swiftly after their debut, Girls released this mini-album, featuring six tracks impeccably written and recorded. The tracks are different in tone to the ragged debut. They are slower and well produced, embellished with brass sections and pedal steel guitar. The songs are fantastic, ranging from the Roy Orbison style Thee oh Protective One, to the jangling Heartbreaker. There is not a bad track on here and is perhaps my favourite release from the band.

Father, Son, Holy Ghost (2011)

Key Track: Honey Bunny

Girls final album as a band was released in the summer of 2011. It builds upon the Broken Dreams Club EP, with a few rockers such as Honey Bunny and Die sandwiched between some melancholic ballads. If you like your music short, sharp and sweet then you may want to stick to their debut album, as most of the tracks on this album are at least four minutes each in length. This does mean they get to expand on their own ideas and create something different to what they had done before. A decent record to bow out with.

Liked those? Listen to this…

Lysandre by Christopher Owens (2013)

Key Track: A Broken Heart

The first solo album by Owens following the end of Girls, and a concept album at that! It’s not quite in the same league as his former bands albums, but it has some nice moments and some interesting instrumentation. Flute and sax are thrown into the mix, rounding out the sound and backing Owens lyrics about meeting a French girl on a European tour.

Tags: album, Broken Dreams Club, Christopher Owens, Father Son and Holy Ghost, Girls, guide, Lysandre, music, pop, rock