It’s always hard to judge a throwback band. Are they paying homage,
in love with nostalgia or just plagiarizing? The retro-rock sounds of
San Francisco’s Girls don’t make this debate any easier. Combining
sunny California folk-rock with bits of psych-rock, garage, surf-rock
and even Motown, the tunes on Album will leave you with that
nagging “I know what this sounds like …” feeling. But these songs
seem more like found rarities than blatant reconstructions.
Singer-songwriter Christopher Owens’ pleading voice, classic song
structures and recognizable cadences indicate a passion for rock’s
traditions. “Ghostmouth” is a heartbroken ’50s waltz. “Headache” sounds
like it was written for a psychedelic beach-flick. And “Lust for Life”
is Buddy Holly meets Beach Boys. But Girls are no shtick act posing in
antiquated clothing; Owens isn’t trying to play a character or fulfill
some fantasy. He’s heard contemporary music — he’s just not a
fan, as one listen to Album will confirm. — Matt
Whelihan
This article appears in Sep 30 – Oct 6, 2009.
