FIRST THOUGHTS: Girls – Father, Son, Holy Ghost

I’ve had Girls’ 2nd LP, Father, Son, Holy Ghost, on repeat since last weekend. I knew after hearing the single, ‘Vomit’, that it wouldn’t be a sophomore slump, but I wasn’t expecting all eleven cuts to be of a similarly uniform quality. Father, Son, Holy Ghost doesn’t have the extreme polarity of Album, their debut, but a devotion to songwriting and slightly warmer production values make for an equal if not superior listening experience.

If the sonic point of reference on Album was Joe Strummer, the muse on Father, Son, Holy Ghost has to be Elvis Costello. Lead singer Christopher Owens’ highly publicized upbringing in the Children of God facilitates an influence that’s ostentatious but not heavy-handed. He retains a 1950’s moral compass, grasping onto those last vestiges of innocence. Like Costello, Owens plays 50’s rock with proto-punk panache.

Owens is a master amalgamator and takes the best from his other primary influences, Neil Young, Eric Carmen and Alex Chilton, all of whom, like Costello and Strummer, also hit their creative peak during the 1970’s. ‘How Can I Say I Love You’ and ‘Magic’ are deep cuts that shine through on this album of deep cuts. Probably my favorite American band right now. Catch them at the FYF Fest in LA on September 3rd; they’ll be touring a smattering of American cities from September 14th until October 9th. Contributed by Christopher Gedos

Girls (Facebook)

Rating: 9.08

Reviewed by b3