Los Angeles – A bit like the childhood that Cleo Tucker and Harmony Tividad spend the 10 tracks of their debut full length eulogizing, Before the World Was Big’s brevity makes it feel a little like a blip on the radar — full of bittersweet memories and ending just when it feels like it was getting started. After writing and recording in their hometown of Los Angeles, the ladies packed their bags and put down roots in Philadelphia just before the Wichita Recordings-released album hit stores on June 1. Though they have not yet even reached the legal drinking age, the two women of Girlpool craft an ear-catching blend of anti-folk, Southern California punk attitude, and angelically youthful vocal harmonization.
It should be noted that Girlpool only has two members, Tucker on guitar and Tividad on bass, and they do not bring in studio musicians to “beef up” the sound. On Before the World Was Big, the two completely forgo traditional drumming of any sort, allowing the tracks to focus in on their complementary vocals and intertwining stringed instruments. This stripped down musical focus is a big reason why the band feels like more like a folk-punk band than anything else. Despite the lack of a drummer, these songs do not feel lacking or “missing something” in the least.
It might sound strange to describe a record which deals with heady emotional issues as being juvenile-sounding and uninhibited, but that is exactly the case on Before the World Was Big. In fact, this serious/fun combination is quite similar to the manner in which D. Boon and Mike Watt, two other Southern California pals, concocted a sound that blended searing political lyricism with playful funk-punk. While Girlpool take it down several notches in the intensity department from The Minutemen’s manic spasticity, they do exhibit many similarities like a penchant for sub-three minute songs, alternating vocal acrobatics, and a seemingly unbreakable connection between the two co-songwriters.
Each of the first three songs on Before the World Was Big feel a bit more like genre-exercises than full-fledged songs (a move commonly made by The Minutemen), though there is not a weak track in the bunch. “Dear Nora” is a sweetly sung missive to a far-away friend, though the nature of Nora’s distance is left ambiguous. The linearly structured title track has bubbly guitar riffing and hits its stride towards the back end when the vocal melodies of the literally worded and surprisingly stirring chorus twist around each other. On the second half of the album “Magnifying Glass” and “Pretty” serve a similar function to the LP. While these songs may not contribute the most memorable moments, they are vital in establishing the album’s overwhelming atmosphere of “moving on and growing up.”
“Chinatown” and “Cherry Picking” showcase the duo’s ability to create a traditionally structured single that is still comprised of their unique core elements. Like the rest of the album, “Chinatown” carries themes of childhood nostalgia; this time though, it is served up with a heavy helping of self-doubt. The vocalist poses a query to the subject of the song, “If I told you I love you would you take it the wrong way,” before arriving at an introspective place, asking herself, “If I loved myself would I take it the wrong way?” Meanwhile, “Cherry Picking” begins with a slow-paced, sparse arrangement before breaking into a haunting, chiming instrumental arrangement. Instrumentally, this song is one of the most powerful tracks on Before the World Was Big, and it features lyrics that express the elusive nature of love and romance.
With the album’s second-to-last song, Girlpool offer up a track that has all the elements of a folk-pop hit. Like the “Dear Nora” from the first half of the record, “Emily” is a love-letter to friendship, rehashing times past with a friend that has grown distant or perhaps even disappeared. In many ways it feels like a companion piece to the title track, though this time it is posed directly at the songwriter’s lost friend.
Tucker and Tividad did not stretch their talents thin on Before the World Was Big, working within the framework they established on their debut EP. Instead of pumping the record full of filler or extended verse/chorus/verse patterns to beef up the running length, they opted for a concise and powerful string of 10 songs. From the more interlude-like tracks to the single-worthy track, this is a full length that shows great promise for the now Philadelphia-based twosome. With a little more songwriting finesse, they could be on their way to creating a landmark indie-rock album.
Catch Girlpool on tour all summer long throughout the United States, United Kingdom, and Europe. Check out the band’s Facebook page for more information on specific dates and tickets.
Photo of Girlpool by Alice-Baxley
Matt Matasci
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