GRRRL FRIEND
Year: 2008
Genre: Punk Rock
Sub-Genres: Noise, Hardcore
Label: Wrong Island Records
Tracks: 10
Length: 32 Minutes (Medium-Length)
Style: Angry/Happy/Fun
My Rating: 7/8
Genre: Punk Rock
Sub-Genres: Noise, Hardcore
Label: Wrong Island Records
Tracks: 10
Length: 32 Minutes (Medium-Length)
Style: Angry/Happy/Fun
My Rating: 7/8
If there's one band in this era of music that I am really thankful that I have found, it would have to be Grrrl Friend. What most popular musicians of today lack, Grrrl Friend has. I'm not quite sure where they're from, 'cause one source said they were from Portland, Oregon, and another said they were from New York City. Perhaps they moved. Well, Grrrl Friend has been together since about 2003, I believe, and has gone through a lot of changes in their line-up, but the band is fronted by Duffy Wrong Island, who sings and plays guitar on most of their songs.
The band's style of music is self-described as "noise punk", and the band is fond of using weird effects on their guitars to add a little spice to their sound. Also, I admire their Nirvana-like ability to alternate between angry, abrasive music and happy, more linear-sounding stuff. The band's philosophy is not to sell their albums, but allow people to have them for free, and they make their money from the live shows that they play (I wanna see them bad!). This is wish I was listening to this summer, and I had not yet discovered them. But, here iz the review...
1. Hanging the Executioner
The album opens with the lines "teenage police, I've got a social zombie helmet, I'm a drone on the streets...". It's a pretty slow, downbeat-sounding song. Halfway through the song, there is a part where the riff changes to an even cooler-sounding riff! It's a very good song.
2. Borscht
Another angry one. Duffy and their old female vocalist (I do not know her name) take turns singing on this one, which adds some variety. The guitar sound reminds me of early SoundGarden, here. All in all, it's a really badass tune!
3. Ibsen
This song just rocks. There's not a ton I can think of to say about it, but it's very good.
4. Fleet Would Mock
I'm guessing that this one's title is supposed to be a play on the name of the band, Fleetwood Mac. But this song starts out pretty calm, with just Duffy singin' and an acoustic guitar. Then the drums start drumming, and then somehow, the acoustic guitar somehow transforms into a noise-spewin' electric one, and Duffy is now yelling instead of softly singing. Seriously, the guitar sounds weirdly awesome, here. Almost sounds like a DJ scratching a record or something, but I'm pretty sure that the DJ (who happens to be Duffy Wrong Island) is just scratching his guitar (that should be a euphemism for masturbation).
5. The Flow
This is another duet between Duffy and the other vocalist. The guitar sounds like some sort of brass instrument (or maybe that is just an actual brass instrument in the background), and it's a pretty cool song. There's even a synth-organ solo in the song!
6. Tsantsa
Alright, this band has a lot of weird song titles. Tsantsa? Maybe it's supposed to be pronounced "Santa" with a lisp, or something stupid like that. Nevermind... I just looked it up. A tsantsa is actually some sort of shrunken head, I guess. Now I feel stupid. Oh, the song?? Yeah... it's... it's a song... it's slow... it iz pleasantly trippy... until it brings in the SLUDGE!!!!!!! Pretty much everything in the song is real distorted and such. Cool sludge, dudes. That's what this song and your brains are made of. I wonder if "Cool Sludge" could be used as another term for... slush?
7. Probably
I believe that the EP version of the album actually ends at track 6, which is a shame, 'cause the last four tracks of the extended version are the best ones! This song is faster than the other songs on the album that we have listened to, so far. It's got a real cool riff and I love Duffy's vocals, here. The song sounds pretty urgent and nice to listen to. The band also has released an acoustic demo version that's even better than this version, so I suggest that ya check it out.
8. The Rag
This song is also great. I like listening to it in the car! It starts more casual-paced, but the chorus is faster has these boingy guitar sounds. One of the happier songs on the album.
9. Cast a Shadow
This is a cover of a song by the band, Beat Happening. I really like this. Apparently this song was dedicated to all of the guy's friends who love heavy metal. I sure hope they liked this song! Well, if they didn't, I still do. It's a fun song. However, the song sounds better played live (it's a little edgier that way). "Cast a shadow on my ERECTION" -- HAH!!
10. Mine
This is my favorite song on the album. I just really like it. It has a great riff, and a fun mood to it. I recommend that you also listen to it. Because it is legit. Which means that it is good. It has a cool phaser effect in the chorus, also.
This whole album is fucking GREAT! I strongly suggest that you get a copy of this, which is as easy as urinating in the woods, because they released their album for FREE! One of my favorite records from this whole decade (and that's pretty hard for a band to do). If they made you buy this album and it costed $50... I would still buy it.
Here's the link to the album:
http://www.last.fm/music/Grrrl+Friend/Grrrl+Friend
The band's style of music is self-described as "noise punk", and the band is fond of using weird effects on their guitars to add a little spice to their sound. Also, I admire their Nirvana-like ability to alternate between angry, abrasive music and happy, more linear-sounding stuff. The band's philosophy is not to sell their albums, but allow people to have them for free, and they make their money from the live shows that they play (I wanna see them bad!). This is wish I was listening to this summer, and I had not yet discovered them. But, here iz the review...
1. Hanging the Executioner
The album opens with the lines "teenage police, I've got a social zombie helmet, I'm a drone on the streets...". It's a pretty slow, downbeat-sounding song. Halfway through the song, there is a part where the riff changes to an even cooler-sounding riff! It's a very good song.
2. Borscht
Another angry one. Duffy and their old female vocalist (I do not know her name) take turns singing on this one, which adds some variety. The guitar sound reminds me of early SoundGarden, here. All in all, it's a really badass tune!
3. Ibsen
This song just rocks. There's not a ton I can think of to say about it, but it's very good.
4. Fleet Would Mock
I'm guessing that this one's title is supposed to be a play on the name of the band, Fleetwood Mac. But this song starts out pretty calm, with just Duffy singin' and an acoustic guitar. Then the drums start drumming, and then somehow, the acoustic guitar somehow transforms into a noise-spewin' electric one, and Duffy is now yelling instead of softly singing. Seriously, the guitar sounds weirdly awesome, here. Almost sounds like a DJ scratching a record or something, but I'm pretty sure that the DJ (who happens to be Duffy Wrong Island) is just scratching his guitar (that should be a euphemism for masturbation).
5. The Flow
This is another duet between Duffy and the other vocalist. The guitar sounds like some sort of brass instrument (or maybe that is just an actual brass instrument in the background), and it's a pretty cool song. There's even a synth-organ solo in the song!
6. Tsantsa
Alright, this band has a lot of weird song titles. Tsantsa? Maybe it's supposed to be pronounced "Santa" with a lisp, or something stupid like that. Nevermind... I just looked it up. A tsantsa is actually some sort of shrunken head, I guess. Now I feel stupid. Oh, the song?? Yeah... it's... it's a song... it's slow... it iz pleasantly trippy... until it brings in the SLUDGE!!!!!!! Pretty much everything in the song is real distorted and such. Cool sludge, dudes. That's what this song and your brains are made of. I wonder if "Cool Sludge" could be used as another term for... slush?
7. Probably
I believe that the EP version of the album actually ends at track 6, which is a shame, 'cause the last four tracks of the extended version are the best ones! This song is faster than the other songs on the album that we have listened to, so far. It's got a real cool riff and I love Duffy's vocals, here. The song sounds pretty urgent and nice to listen to. The band also has released an acoustic demo version that's even better than this version, so I suggest that ya check it out.
8. The Rag
This song is also great. I like listening to it in the car! It starts more casual-paced, but the chorus is faster has these boingy guitar sounds. One of the happier songs on the album.
9. Cast a Shadow
This is a cover of a song by the band, Beat Happening. I really like this. Apparently this song was dedicated to all of the guy's friends who love heavy metal. I sure hope they liked this song! Well, if they didn't, I still do. It's a fun song. However, the song sounds better played live (it's a little edgier that way). "Cast a shadow on my ERECTION" -- HAH!!
10. Mine
This is my favorite song on the album. I just really like it. It has a great riff, and a fun mood to it. I recommend that you also listen to it. Because it is legit. Which means that it is good. It has a cool phaser effect in the chorus, also.
This whole album is fucking GREAT! I strongly suggest that you get a copy of this, which is as easy as urinating in the woods, because they released their album for FREE! One of my favorite records from this whole decade (and that's pretty hard for a band to do). If they made you buy this album and it costed $50... I would still buy it.
Here's the link to the album:
http://www.last.fm/music/Grrrl+Friend/Grrrl+Friend
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