The frontman of the pop duo Girls has a backstory that’s “epically sad and squalid and ultimately triumphant,” but you don’t need to know his history to recognize Girls' debut, Album, as “a dizzily powerful piece of work,” writes Tom Breihan for Pitchfork. Christopher Owens’ voice sounds like “every sad nerd genius in pop history,” singing “simple songs about heartbreak” as though he’s “been listening to oldies radio in his sleep his whole life.”
So it’s no surprise that, “musically, Album is mostly sunny Beach Boys pastiche, but it's not the kajillionth indie attempt at orchestral Pet Sounds majesty,” Breihan continues. “It’s simple and forthright: compact guitar-jangles, sha-la-la harmonies, muffled heartbeat drums. It sounds great.” Even the most innocuous lyrics—most of the songs are indeed about girls—hint at a deeper sadness. “Everything about the record” adds up “to something elusive and fascinating—maybe even heartbreaking.” (More Girls stories.)
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