Los Angeles-based rock bank Girl Friday released their long-awaited debut album, Androgynous Mary (via Hardly Art), this summer and it is as moody, irreverent, and thought-provoking as the quartet.
Libby Hsieh (bassist), Sierra Scott (guitarist), Vera Williams (guitarist), and Virginia Pettis (drummer) came together to create a sound that can only be described as experimental with abrupt changes in melody, pace, and direction. With a total of ten tracks spanning 37-minutes the album will take you on a ride that won’t slow down until it’s over; so take a deep breath.
Androgynous Mary explores several key themes including being dissatisfied, challenging convention, growing up, losing innocence, as well as achieving independence. At times, the quartet appears to get crushed by the hostile adult world, a place known to dissect you and tear you apart if you let it. However, not everything is bleak. There’s a light at the end of the tunnel, a certainty that even in the face of disappointment will fight to remain strong and hopeful. They are family, and that keeps them from crumbling.
With this in mind, the album opens with a dreamy ballad, “This is Not the Indie Rock I Signed Up For”, a disenchanted song that starts slow then boils and simmers, throwing heart-wrenching lyrics at the listeners. The track prepares to explode in a cacophonous arrangement that is unsettling but beautiful in its eeriness.
Next on the list is the track “Amber’s Knees: A Matter of Concern”, a song so energetic and upbeat that it’s easy to forget the critique that lies within. As the song builds, listeners explore deeper and deeper into Girl Friday’s rebellious mind space.
The turning point arrives after “Earthquake”, which is arguably the catchiest yet most aggressive song on the album. The quartet conveys their message very clearly through prominent guitar solos and drum tracks that keep the listener on edge making it next to impossible to disconnect from the trance they’ve landed themselves in. Revealing to themselves their unashamed, cynical, fearful, and strong reflection. Girl Friday defies standards and comes victorious every time. The final song, “I Hope Jason Is Happy” closes out the project on a happier note, stating that they are not only here but they are meant to be here cementing they won’t quit no matter how much they have to fight just “to keep their breath in this world”. It’s a reminder that they are young, they are angry, and they’re here to stay.
Androgynous Mary is cathartic. It’s therapy. It’s a way to let everyone know they’re not backing down; they’re not conforming to the norm. It’s a statement. Girl Friday has got something to say, and they’re not afraid to make the world uncomfortable.
Make sure to stream Androgynous Mary if you haven’t yet!
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