Sid Simons, the leader of Brooklyn freak folk collective Girl Skin, embodies the spirit of a wandering musician in a contemporary context. Originally of Portland, Oregon (with stints in Australia and Shanghai prior to settling in New York), Simons makes it immediately clear that he has channeled his long, strange trip into the group’s sonic output; the band’s last single “Bite Real Hard” prominently features acoustic guitars against mandolin accents and an echoey, sliding voice. Before getting too dedicated to a folksy, Americana sound, however, “Bite” becomes electric, drone-laden shredding emerging from the woodwork as Simon repeats, “everything I know, I have from you.” It’s a distinctly modern twist on the folk of yesteryear, reflecting Girl Skin’s ability to blend both old and new styles into a cohesive, instantly classic output.
Girl Skin will head south to SXSW next month, but they’ll be back at Rockwood Music Hall on April 7th. In the meantime, go for a walkabout and watch the video for “Bite Real Hard.” -Connor Beckett McInerney (@b_ck_tt), Photo by Andy DeLuca