Sometimes a good band name is more about raising an intrigued eyebrow than saying anything about the music the band plays. Though the name suggests snarling riot grrrl revival and/or smirking pop culture referencing, the self-titled debut from Golden Grrrls is delivered with the candid warmth of a whispered diary entry. After a few lo-fi singles established their interest in DIY punk, the Glasgow trio wash off the fuzz to reveal a breezy heart.
The Glasgwegians’ talent for writing hooks shone through in their early releases, but Golden Grrrls‘ easy-breezy presentation better suits the trio’s on-the-sleeve lyrics. The washes of surfy guitar and girl group harmonies of “Take Your Time” are one thing, but then there’s drummer/vocalist Eilidh Rodgers’ playful chorus, where she sings “Take your time, I’m already there.” She may be patient enough to wait, but the crackling guitar licks, superball bass, and sing-song verses keep you surging forward.
Another important change to the Golden Grrrls formula is the addition of Trash Kit guitarist Rachel Aggs, her guitar and vocal melodies further sweetening the mix. She and Ruari MacLean share bleary backing vocal duties on the soaring “Older Today”, Rodgers promising that “now the things we did and say/ they don’t mean a thing today.” The two provide instrumental counterpoint elsewhere, as on “Date It”, where MacLean billows the the fuzzy clouds as Aggs’ works in the bubbles and pops at ground level.
While Golden Grrls work in a few wrinkles (high-end grit on “Paul Simon”, Smiths-y strumming on “Past Tense”), the rotation of pleasantly sleepy melodies does result in the occasional nap. Along those lines, this isn’t the kind of thing you’re going to put on when you’re amped-up for a night out. But as far as sunporch indie punk goes, few albums constantly hit such sweet highs with sincerity.
Essential Tracks: “Older Today”, “Take Your Time”
