As a bitter and twisted, so-called millennial, there are few things that provide a glimmer of hope more, among a constant barrage of awful news headlines and graphic images on the TV, than a group of people still playing a bunch of cool and exciting music.
Girl Nowhere, a young duo hailing from Long Island, New York – a place not exactly known for its musical exports other than Mariah Carey – are doing just that. Three track EP ‘Dead End’ isn’t exactly life-changing but it’s a great choice to listen to when you’re feeling pissed off at the world and need a ten-minute blast of angst and noise.
‘I Gave You My Last Breath But You Held It Anyways’ gives off vibes of a grungier time. It’s a shame the vocals aren’t more audible: the angelic sounding switches between the high and low notes juxtaposed with the frenzied guitars of the choruses give the song some special moments. There’s a riff that sounds like Green Day’s ‘Holiday’ in there too.
A stronger effort, ‘Trying To Wash Away Three Wasted Years’ is a frustrated, two fingers up to an ex, soundtracked by an attention-grabbing mixture of gritty, 90s emo and strong, rock chords. The fragility of the middle eight as they sing, “trace over your face so I memorise the outline of your being… I’ll never forget you,” charges to a driven, cathartic end.
‘I’ve Dragged Myself Out Of This Pit Twice Now’ begins with a classic drum introduction. The best chorus of the three by a mile, “I’m the hero of this story” stands out from the cacophony of the verses. An impressive feat for anyone, never mind a debut track, the song maintains a catchy melody alongside a fragmented and irregular structure.
Although slightly rough around the edges, Girl Nowhere are well on their way to creating something really impressive, as long as they can pin down their sound. Who’d have thought some gloomy, angst-ridden punk from Long Island could be the thing to brighten up our day?
KATHRYN BLACK