EP Review

Girlpool - Girlpool

Item: Girlpool - Girlpool
Rating: 4

A relentless and immediately likable debut.

Reviewer: El Hunt

Released: 17th November 2014

Label: Wichita

Angry women who are not afraid to raise their voices often end up being described as shrill and screechy. Make no mistake here; Girlpool should be taken seriously. Their self-titled EP is a whirling tirade of pissed off and bratty lo-fi rock with a definite, focused agenda, and their critique is every bit as biting as every fuzzy barre chord.

‘Plant and Mouth’ plods and shimmers in equal measures, and Girlpool’s taken on a slow, forlorn ballad has discord right at the centre. ‘Slutmouth’ adopts several voices that blend together like a messed up directorial debut with ten actors all trying to play the same role– an anonymous man saying “cross your legs, ladies, please,” or a school girl cheerfully singing “I go to school every day, just to be made a housewife one day.”

Snarling, quick-witted one-liners are Girlpool’s absolute forte, along with a minimal, as-the-crow-flies approach to writing that wastes no time hitting on each vital melody. Spitting out lines like “I don’t wanna get fucked by a fucked society,” and driven by a relentless and immediate force, ‘Girlpool’ might take cues from the bite of L7, Bikini Kill and Bratmobile, but its central message remains every bit as relevant today.

Tags: Girlpool, Reviews, EP Reviews

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