2014. The year of The Hunger Games: Mockingjay - Part 1, pastel and holographic jackets, the Arctic Monkeys wavelength symbol, and the Indie Rock and Bandcamp revolution. Girlpool, a small band consisting of Cleo Tucker and Harmony Tividad, began to slowly appear seen in everyone’s recommended tabs with their self-titled album (if you don’t remember the actual album, the cover art’s sure to jump your memory). With their twangy and rock-esque beats reverberating in “Blah Blah Blah” and the heart-shaking lyrics and screams that accompanied “Jane,” Girlpool’s domination of the indie charts slowly amassed over the years into their ultimate form: ‘What Chaos is Imaginary’ was released on February 1st, 2019. Those resonant and symphonic tracks, showcased especially in the titular song, show that Girlpool has not only grown and matured since their self-titled debut but has joined the ranks of Son Lux and Ruelle in the art of indie and cinematic music with an 80’s rock leaning. 6/7
Notable Tracks:
https://open.spotify.com/track/6iZNsKs1tOJyKlYzBCpWfz?si=fEF1PnusQdiCq9LfwiQBKg
"Lucy's" - Girlpool seems to slip back into their original roots with this gravelly, hard-beated single, but their heartbroken lyrics and multiple guitar tracks layered over one another seem like the perfect song for a midnight bike ride on a hot summer night.
https://open.spotify.com/track/0YjqNoSiPBzljs8ChlbHoI?si=5bsWnvUhTvmRzJEQ_CD3xA
"Stale Device" / "Where You Sink" - A refreshing and slower take on the sadness that seems to pervade the first track, relying on soft and heavenly vocals rather than the hard rock influence of “Lucy." Riffs and accompaniments are still common in “Stale Device,” but used in a much different fashion than Lucy until the 1:56 explosion of sound and buttery-smooth vocals. “Where You Sink” employs a similar strategy, but still distinguishes itself from “Stale Device” with the careful beat changes and synth overhaul.
https://open.spotify.com/track/1ztljnhex2kExHZlSQIvs8?si=xFtL5gSsTU-2RgWXyixh7Q
"Minute in Your Mind" - A slow descent into madness. The repeating track “I’ll be running/All the time” seems to be perfect for a high-drama, primetime TV series to play when the characters seem to be at their lowest and fighting to come back into their own. Begins and ends slow, with a large dip in the middle that grows and grows until it’s not possible to anymore.
https://open.spotify.com/track/0hCShuMaC3qpZp7RJ5VlgX?si=MP1ADXnBR6KpCftW_WyvKA
"What Chaos is Imaginary" - The most different track from their self-titled 2014 album. The song relies heavily on cinematic and symphonic influences and seems to be the first track that seems like it has an orchestral accompaniment, but it’s all for the better. The pervasive emotion and complete and total passion of the album are present in “What Chaos is Imaginary,” with hopeful notes and the visualization of holy ghosts, tinted pink sunrises, and heads in the clouds.
https://open.spotify.com/track/4AdjaWMV4ZkY1WeiwH6xwe?si=gc1U065MSSqkIZ3OJ1mmlw
"Roses" - Guitar riff fans, this one’s for you. With a long chord seemingly strung out from the beginning to the end, along with layered vocals and a never-ending drumbeat in the background, “Roses” is certainly the perfect end to Girlpool’s album. “Roses” gives off the emotion that the album (and certainly whatever emotions associated with it) are hopeful, but ending, giving the perfect send off to What Chaos is Imaginary.
https://open.spotify.com/album/58HB0yjdQE2MH5MrfWt4EO?si=JaNuNHRhS9Ce8-7I8KR7nA
