The intro track, “We Will Never Die” kicks off White Girl’s EP Two with an explosion of feel-good dance rock. This track would make Passion Pit and Temper Trap shake their heads for not writing it first. What sets “We Will Never Die” apart from the rest of the songs on the album is the complexity in its rhythm, which bounces seamlessly between 6/8, 4/4 and 2/4. While it’s easy to dance to, I do not suggest air drumming to this song unless you are a professional. Frontman Martin Bush introduced me to this song last weekend. When the vocals kicked in, I asked if he was a fan of Animal Collective. He grinned and gave me a big nod. My personal opinion is that “We Will Never Die” is the best track on this finely crafted record.
Shifting the feel of the record, “Captain to Copilot” shows a glimpse of the dynamic songwriting abilities that White Girl has to offer. The reverb-filled opening guitar riff that remains somewhat constant throughout the song gives a sense of longing. Vocally there is a hint of Beach Boys influence that floats smoothly over this synth/bass-heavy track. The gigantic-sounding drums that appear midway through drive this song home.
If you aren’t dancing yet, “Setting Fire” will change that instantly. This song will grab you with its beautifully clear synthesizers and crisp guitar tones. The four on the floor, kick/snare/high-hat combo, and grooving bass hold a solid foundation for Martin’s ambient voice. The poppy progression of this song is reminiscent of Hall and Oates and Talking Heads. Extremely catchy, “Setting Fire” is a dance anthem that any DJ would be lucky to remix.
After its beautiful multilayered synth-intro ,“Last Men Standing” erupts into ambient glory. The tone of every instrument on this song is exquisite. Its hopeful chant/sing-along chorus is extremely uplifting and dreamy. This is a song that would be great to listen to first thing in the morning, on the roof of a tall building while the sun is just on the horizon.
The electronic side of White Girl makes its largest appearance on the EP’s final track “Lament.” Most of this final tune is Bush singing into a vocoder, and is a heart-touching ballad that is based off the epic poem “Rhyme of the Ancient Mariner” by Samuel Coleridge. As his story builds, bit-crushed drums and atmospheric synthesizers build with him until they both reach a climax and drift away. This intimate song is the perfect track to end a well-rounded EP.
For fans of: M83, Hall and Oates, The Appleseed Cast, MGMT, Animal Collective, U2, Talking Heads, Passion Pit, Temper Trap, Empire of The Sun, and The Beach Boys.
White Girl is:
Martin Bush: Vocals/guitars/keys
Skylar Mcclun: Keys/guitars/vocals
Matt Epstein: Guitars/vocals
Nick Organ: Drums
EP Two will be released tomorrow, October 5. You can catch White Girl at the album release party on Friday, October 25 at The Union with special guests The Atlantic and Sphynx. The band will be touring the East coast this fall, and you can find their tour dates at http://www.whitegirl.org.
—Eric Fain
| Eric plays a mean bass for The Atlantic. |