By Kyle Greco
WTSR Staff
With its second album, Girls takes its strung-out brand of ’50s rock ‘n roll and gives it a bit more depth, adding well-placed organ phrases and a three-piece gospel choir to their surfy and psychedelic sound.
In many ways, this album sticks to what Girls knows best: versatility. The album runs the pop-music gamut: moments reminiscent of the Beach Boys (“Honey Bunny”), Roy Orbison (“Saying I Love You”), Pink Floyd-meets-The Cure classic rock (“Vomit”) and even Motown (“Love Like a River”) come together here in a completely uncontrived and cohesive way, especially with Girls’ trademark hazy instrumental passages and bursts of psychedelia.
The songs are not about religion, as the album title might suggest, but instead adhere to singer/songwriter/multi-instrumentalist Christopher Owens’ bread-and-butter musings on love, loss, hope and despair, as found on previous Girls records. While the lyrics are not as striking as those found on “Album” or “Broken Dreams Club EP,” Owens still exudes endearing earnestness through them. A pretty, sad, gritty and utterly compelling album, perfect for summer’s end.
Focus Tracks: “Honey Bunny,” “Vomit,” “Love Like a River”
