indie
Warm on a Cold Night 豆瓣
8.2 (19 个评分)
Honne
类型:
电子
发布日期 2014年9月22日
出版发行:
2014 Super
Honne is an English electronic music duo formed in 2014 in Bow, London, consisting of James Hatcher and Andy Clutterbuck. They both write, record, and produce their music. The band released their first two EPs, Warm on a Cold Night and All in the Value, on Super Recordings in 2014.
How To Be A Human Being 豆瓣
8.5 (126 个评分)
Glass Animals
类型:
电子
发布日期 2016年8月26日
出版发行:
Caroline International P&D
‘How To Be A Human Being’ is a scrapbook of the bands time spent on the road, gathering memories and perceptions of different types of people from all around the world.
Unveiled in mid May as Annie Mac’s Hottest Record, ‘Life Itself’, the first single from the album, has already elevated the band’s sonorous buzz to a whole new level. The track is an immersive, exotic and characteristically off-kilter earworm, reintroducing the band in the wake of their sensational ascent into a force to be reckoned with.
Glass Animals’ debut ‘Zaba’, released on Paul Epworth’s label Wolf Tone, has so far sold nearly half a million copies worldwide and amassed a staggering 200 million Spotify streams, obliterating all expectations simply by word of mouth. Their anomalous rise has gained the Oxford four-piece a legion of fans all over the world, including festival appearances at the likes of Falls in Australia, Coachella, Bonnaroo, Lollapalooza, Glastonbury and has resulted in the band playing 2 sold out headline shows at LA’s 2000-capacity Wiltern and NYC’s 3000-capacity Terminal 5.
To those expecting another album like Zaba, this album may end up as a disappointment. Glass Animals found success on a rather unique and creative sound and continued to expand their inner-weirdness and creativity by not playing it safe, instead opting for more ambition. This approach has paid off admirably as How to Be a Human Being is more than just a collection of stories told through characters like the ones on the album’s art, but is also a showcase of the band’s talent. Taking this talent, expending as much creative energy and ridiculousness as possible while deviating from their beloved sound, the result is an album that one would be hard pressed to find a comparable output to; and that’s a fantastic dilemma.
Unveiled in mid May as Annie Mac’s Hottest Record, ‘Life Itself’, the first single from the album, has already elevated the band’s sonorous buzz to a whole new level. The track is an immersive, exotic and characteristically off-kilter earworm, reintroducing the band in the wake of their sensational ascent into a force to be reckoned with.
Glass Animals’ debut ‘Zaba’, released on Paul Epworth’s label Wolf Tone, has so far sold nearly half a million copies worldwide and amassed a staggering 200 million Spotify streams, obliterating all expectations simply by word of mouth. Their anomalous rise has gained the Oxford four-piece a legion of fans all over the world, including festival appearances at the likes of Falls in Australia, Coachella, Bonnaroo, Lollapalooza, Glastonbury and has resulted in the band playing 2 sold out headline shows at LA’s 2000-capacity Wiltern and NYC’s 3000-capacity Terminal 5.
To those expecting another album like Zaba, this album may end up as a disappointment. Glass Animals found success on a rather unique and creative sound and continued to expand their inner-weirdness and creativity by not playing it safe, instead opting for more ambition. This approach has paid off admirably as How to Be a Human Being is more than just a collection of stories told through characters like the ones on the album’s art, but is also a showcase of the band’s talent. Taking this talent, expending as much creative energy and ridiculousness as possible while deviating from their beloved sound, the result is an album that one would be hard pressed to find a comparable output to; and that’s a fantastic dilemma.
Unrest 豆瓣
8.3 (6 个评分)
Erlend Øye
发布日期 2003年2月11日
出版发行:
Astralwerks
The first solo album release by Kings Of Convenience member Erlend Oye. Collaborators include talented American producer Morgan Geist (Metro Area) and Brooklyn's Soviet while Europe is represented by up-and-comers Mr. Velcro Fastener, Kompis, Jolly Music, Prefuse 73 and more. 10 tracks plus exclusive U.S. hidden track. Astralwerks. 2003.
LIVE IN LIVING for Good Night 豆瓣
9.6 (10 个评分)
羊毛とおはな
发布日期 2011年8月23日
出版发行:
LD&K
2007年のデビュー以来、毎年のライフワークとしてリリースしてきた「LIVE IN LIVING」シリーズ（全5タイトル）のベストセレクション8曲（洋楽カヴァー）とさらに、新録として洋楽カヴァー4曲を追加した「GOOD SLEEP」をテーマにした、とっても眠れるアルバム。
<CD収録曲>全12曲予定（既曲9曲＋新録3曲）
<CD収録曲>全12曲予定（既曲9曲＋新録3曲）
摇滚趋势 豆瓣 Spotify
8.4 (85 个评分)
Tame Impala
类型:
摇滚
发布日期 2015年7月17日
出版发行:
Modular Recordings
Tame Impala has announced the title of its new album: Currents will serve as the follow-up to the band’s smash 2012 LP, Lonerism. A release date is still forthcoming.
Currents is preceded by the epic eight-minute single “Let It Happen”. Another album track called “Cause I’m A Man” will premiere tomorrow on Australian radio.
Currents is preceded by the epic eight-minute single “Let It Happen”. Another album track called “Cause I’m A Man” will premiere tomorrow on Australian radio.
相知 豆瓣
7.7 (103 个评分)
The xx
类型:
电子
发布日期 2017年1月13日
出版发行:
Young Turks
★水星音乐奖得主暌违五年第三张专辑
★荒芜中执拗燃烧的浪漫
★都会喧嚣间最亲密的孤寂
来自伦敦的青年乐队The xx，2009年首张专辑《xx》以初生之犊的姿态，拿下欧洲指标性水星音乐奖，随后几年间，他们纵横各大音乐祭与颁奖典礼，第二张专辑《Coexist》挤下The Script、Bob Dylan、Pet Shop Boys空降英国流行专辑榜冠军，此等天之骄子般的惊人声势，以及身处譁众取宠的当代音乐潮流中，The xx徘徊午夜的极间低迴旋律铺陈起的黑灰色阶，似乎显得格格不入，然而吸纳著Siouxsie and the Banshees、The Cure、New Order、Cocteau Twins以至Aaliyah音乐养分而来的浪漫声响，却敲醒了层层冰雪底层的炙热，写尽了这时代人们藏得最深的孤寂。
2014年乐队灵魂人物Jamie xx首张创作专辑《In Colour》，在The xx失去时空标记的未来场域，投入大量多元声响取洋的缤纷色泽，让人预见了The xx的可能性，亦塑造出暌违五年新专辑《I See You》首支单曲〈On Hold〉的蜕变，与Hall & Oates 1981年冠军曲〈I Can’t Go For That〉交会之际一脚踩进舞池，让好似被时间消磨了的遗憾，不再那麽难以承受，冬阳洒落的和煦蔓延至〈I Dare You〉与〈Say Something Loving〉，依旧浪漫得执拗。
开场曲〈Dangerous〉强悍bassline与管乐驱策下，扬起了The xx至今最果抉、激昂的一回；〈Lips〉取洋自葛莱美提名挪威人声乐队Trio Mediæval的脱俗吟唱乘著Tribal Beat悠缓跃动的宜人风景，以及〈Performance〉凄薄弦乐于一片荒芜中拉扯出的张力，格外令人惊豔；即便〈A Violent Noise〉和〈Brave For You〉回到那个被喧嚣遗忘的街角，遇到我们熟悉的The xx，冰冷得暴戾的梦，也相对辽阔轻盈，美得令人屏息。
末曲〈Test Me〉绝望的最后恳求，在一片极间冰凝的苍白电气中持续坠落，一段Alessi Brothers〈Do You Feel It?〉的琴音乍现，对映著取洋了同一首歌的〈Say Something Loving〉，麻木了心，模糊了时空，即使在阳光洒落的地方，The xx依旧以近乎任性的执著，耽溺于怀疑与悔恨的结，最亲密的疏离，最炙热的冷冽，让人倚著冰牆试图取暖，距离心一步的位置，目光犹疑试探，却怎麽也踩不进去的怅然。
★荒芜中执拗燃烧的浪漫
★都会喧嚣间最亲密的孤寂
来自伦敦的青年乐队The xx，2009年首张专辑《xx》以初生之犊的姿态，拿下欧洲指标性水星音乐奖，随后几年间，他们纵横各大音乐祭与颁奖典礼，第二张专辑《Coexist》挤下The Script、Bob Dylan、Pet Shop Boys空降英国流行专辑榜冠军，此等天之骄子般的惊人声势，以及身处譁众取宠的当代音乐潮流中，The xx徘徊午夜的极间低迴旋律铺陈起的黑灰色阶，似乎显得格格不入，然而吸纳著Siouxsie and the Banshees、The Cure、New Order、Cocteau Twins以至Aaliyah音乐养分而来的浪漫声响，却敲醒了层层冰雪底层的炙热，写尽了这时代人们藏得最深的孤寂。
2014年乐队灵魂人物Jamie xx首张创作专辑《In Colour》，在The xx失去时空标记的未来场域，投入大量多元声响取洋的缤纷色泽，让人预见了The xx的可能性，亦塑造出暌违五年新专辑《I See You》首支单曲〈On Hold〉的蜕变，与Hall & Oates 1981年冠军曲〈I Can’t Go For That〉交会之际一脚踩进舞池，让好似被时间消磨了的遗憾，不再那麽难以承受，冬阳洒落的和煦蔓延至〈I Dare You〉与〈Say Something Loving〉，依旧浪漫得执拗。
开场曲〈Dangerous〉强悍bassline与管乐驱策下，扬起了The xx至今最果抉、激昂的一回；〈Lips〉取洋自葛莱美提名挪威人声乐队Trio Mediæval的脱俗吟唱乘著Tribal Beat悠缓跃动的宜人风景，以及〈Performance〉凄薄弦乐于一片荒芜中拉扯出的张力，格外令人惊豔；即便〈A Violent Noise〉和〈Brave For You〉回到那个被喧嚣遗忘的街角，遇到我们熟悉的The xx，冰冷得暴戾的梦，也相对辽阔轻盈，美得令人屏息。
末曲〈Test Me〉绝望的最后恳求，在一片极间冰凝的苍白电气中持续坠落，一段Alessi Brothers〈Do You Feel It?〉的琴音乍现，对映著取洋了同一首歌的〈Say Something Loving〉，麻木了心，模糊了时空，即使在阳光洒落的地方，The xx依旧以近乎任性的执著，耽溺于怀疑与悔恨的结，最亲密的疏离，最炙热的冷冽，让人倚著冰牆试图取暖，距离心一步的位置，目光犹疑试探，却怎麽也踩不进去的怅然。
女孩乐团 - 青春写真 豆瓣
9.1 (7 个评分)
GIRLS
类型:
摇滚
发布日期 2009年12月4日
出版发行:
映象唱片High Note Records
Artist：Girls
Title：ALBUM
Label：映象唱片High Note Records
Genre: Shoegazing
女孩乐团 - 青春写真
Girls - Album
。卫报★★★★★满分，Pitchfork 9.1分崇拜推荐
。混合Beach Boys、The Beatles、Spiritualized的经典神采
。「台湾特别盘」超值加收四首曲目和〈Laura〉MV
Beach Boys般的阳光爽朗和The Beatles跨入七O年代的迷幻神采，混合着粗犷不羁的Lo-Fi质地，Christopher Owens和Chet “JR” White这两个隐身在「女孩」背后的大男孩，音乐里没有故作姿态的隐喻或华丽词藻，直率地说着关于心碎、寂寞和逝去恋情的种种，复古迷蒙的酸楚，紧紧牵系着每个人关于青春的记忆。
然而，这混杂甜美和苦涩的浪漫背后，却是Christopher Owens成长于「上帝之子」（Children of God）异教社群交织着自杀、卖淫的晦暗童年，但也是在这个地方，让他从「教友」前Fleetwood Mac吉他手Jeremy Spencer手中获得第一把吉他，并从这个与外界流行文化隔绝的封闭世界，吸纳六、七O年代的音乐养分，进而酝酿出属于Girls的独特怀旧声响。
耽溺于过往恋情的开场曲〈Lust For Life〉和〈Laura〉，洋溢着Beach Boys式的和谐旋律；〈Hellhole Ratrace〉拉扯着伤痕累累的心灵，弥漫宛如Spiritualized的深幽迷幻；〈Morning Light〉、〈Headache〉分别带来深邃迷乱的Shoegazing气息和Dream pop迷蒙动人的温度，至于「台湾特别盘」收录的〈Oh Boy〉和重新翻玩乡村名曲〈End Of The World〉，则有着Bradford Cox附身般的惨情绝美。
失去时序标记的颓靡气味，五颜六色的迷幻药物，日以继夜的海滩派对，Girls音符中彷佛六、七O年代嘻皮的生活态度，将青春的直接和纯粹都被埋入梦幻糖衣包覆的苦果中，你可以说他单纯无知或不识愁滋味，但，青春或许就该如此挥霍啊！
It's often said that great bands are more than just the sum of their parts. In which case, Girls - two San Francisco slackers who go by the name Christopher Owens (words and melodies) and JR White (production and general studio boffinry) - shouldn't need to worry. I mean, just look at the parts…
Let's start with the location: Just as the Velvets crackle with New York electricity and Smiths' songs come soaked in Manchester drizzle, so the music of Girls captures the stoned and sun-baked outlook of life in San Francisco. Taking the classic California pop template perfected by Brian Wilson and applying a woozy, lo-fi makeover, Girls make music that's trapped in a permanent adolescence, one where everyday is designed to be spent getting stoned, lazing in the park and obsessing over love. You'll detect 50's surf-pop, 60's psychedelia and 80's hardcore at play here, not to mention the more modern West Coast sounds of groups like The Tyde. But most of all, you'll hear a musical distillation of the frazzled, San Francisco lifestyle.
"We were both wasters before we met," admits JR. "We'd just be getting drunk and going out every night…"
"San Francisco is made for that lifestyle," adds Christopher. "Even the older people can’t nag at you because that's what they were doing in the 60s."
Next comes the heartbreak: Before Girls came into existence, Christopher played music with his girlfriend in a project called Curls. When the romance fizzled out, Christopher was forced to take over vocal duties and find a new musical partner.
"After I moved to San Francisco I immediately started going out with a girl who was also my best friend. For two years we were living together, making music together … so when we split up it was a pretty drastic change," admits Christopher. "The first batch of songs were pretty much all influenced by that."
Heartbreak and desire are themes that are all over Girls' album, whether it's lusting over a new girl ("I might never get my arms around you/But that doesn't mean that I won't try" - Lauren Marie) or longing for the one you once had ("Maybe if I really try with all of my heart/Then I could make a brand new start in love with you" - Lust for Life).
What's perhaps most striking about these songs - many which appear on Girls forthcoming debut album - is how simple and honest the lyrics are. Eschewing metaphor and flowery language for something far more direct, Christopher's words hit you straight in the heart. As he says himself: "Sometimes the best way is to have simple lyrics. There's this country song by Tim McGraw where he sings: "We're all looking for love and meaning in our lives." To me, that speaks volumes, even though it's so simple."
Last but by no means least is the story … and in Christopher Owens we have quite some story. Born into the hippie Children of God cult, Christopher spent his childhood travelling across the globe, attending prayer sessions whilst being shielded from the outside world. It was, in his own words, "pretty hellish … they thought they could hide us from a whole lot of stuff and teach us to be happy, perfect children of god. But you can't control people like that."
The full story of Christopher's time in the cult, which involves tales of suicide, prostitution and an eventual escape to Texas, is one for another time. But what's clear is that this is far more than just a neat backstory - life in the Children of God had a massive impact on Christopher's songwriting. It was there that he learnt to busk, there that he listened to a diverse array of music made by other cult members, and there that fellow cult member and former Fleetwood Mac guitarist Jeremy Spencer gave him his first guitar, an instrument he still uses to write songs on.
"The whole cult was really based around music," notes Christopher, admitting that he saw a beauty in a lot of the songs they would sing together. "In fact, a lot of Girls' music has a sound that's very much like the Children Of God music. There's a spiritual kind of quality. Even though I'm not at all religious and very much against the whole experience, it's there. Brian Wilson talks about the spiritual thing that music is. I don't know what that is exactly, but I know that if I just close my eyes then music takes me somewhere else."
After leaving the cult at 16 and spending several drug-fuelled years immersed in Amarillo's punk scene, Christopher headed off to find a natural home in San Francisco. It was here that Christopher fell into the local music scene, playing gigs with freak-folkster Ariel Pink and his Holy Shit project (Christopher: "I wouldn't have got into writing music at all if I hadn't played with Holy Shit - watching them play was like a lightbulb going off.") And it was here that he met the final, crucial part in the Girls story: JR.
Strong male friendships serve as the backdrop to some of the best rock'n'roll, from Mick'n'Keef through to John Squire and Ian Brown. Christopher and JR are no exception: not only do they spend all their time together - writing, rehearsing, partying - they even share a bedroom after knocking down the wall that divided their two rooms. And as Christopher's innocent, open-hearted songs began to take shape, JR was on hand to conjure up the perfect musical backdrop. Think of their debut album as a kind of DIY Pet Sounds, recorded in bedrooms and rehearsal spaces on broken equipment.
"I have these visions of grandeur, where I want to hire string sections and timpani, and really go for it like in the 60s," grins JR. "But we were doing it in our bedrooms. We mainly recorded onto reel-to-reel tape, and also on an old computer that shut down on us in the middle of the session. All sorts of variables made the recordings sound like they do."
"But we’re both from a punk background," adds Christopher. "So this is just our punk DIY version of great pop."
Perhaps the best entry point to Girls’ music is forthcoming single Hellhole Ratrace, which builds from gentle acoustic strums to a full-on fuzzy gospel explosion that shows off their love of Spiritualized.
"The day I came up with that song I ran out to find JR and tell him I'd written the best song of my life," reveals Christopher. "We dropped everything we were doing and started recording it."
Meanwhile, the accompanying video encapsulates their San Fran aesthetic perfectly. It was shot by Aaron Brown, one of the many arty outsiders who've become part of the Girls extended family.
You soon realise that every song has a story. Curls is a gorgeous little instrumental, one that Christopher's ex-girlfriend had previously refused to sing on because it wasn’t "rock’n'roll" enough. The handclap-strewn Lust for Life documents the time Christopher met up with his ex following their split and was forced to listen to all the great things she had going for her (a new boyfriend, a father, a beach party with friends). Meanwhile, Laura is a plea to a best friend, asking if they can patch up their differences and start afresh. All feature Chris in astonishingly honest, heart-on-sleeve storytelling mode.
Elsewhere, variety is the order of the day. Far from simple Cali-pop revivalists, the Girls album is a music obsessive's paradise, with references dotted all over the place. Listen carefully and you'll pick up everything from Martin Denny-style exotica (Headache) to blissed-out shoegaze (Morning Light). You'll hear the vocal stylings of Elvis Costello, the spaced-out fuzz of Spaceman 3 and cheeky pop references to the likes of Prince and Iggy. Like Girls themselves, the music is the sum of many fascinating parts.
JR, for one, agrees: "To me, it's the next 30 songs we've already written that are the most exciting. We’re the kind of group where you're gonna want to follow our next step."
And where will this fascinating journey lead to?
The pair shrug, happy to travel wherever inspiration takes, a typically San Fran kind of attitude.
"Let's just say," they grin,"that everyone should definitely keep in touch."
Title：ALBUM
Label：映象唱片High Note Records
Genre: Shoegazing
女孩乐团 - 青春写真
Girls - Album
。卫报★★★★★满分，Pitchfork 9.1分崇拜推荐
。混合Beach Boys、The Beatles、Spiritualized的经典神采
。「台湾特别盘」超值加收四首曲目和〈Laura〉MV
Beach Boys般的阳光爽朗和The Beatles跨入七O年代的迷幻神采，混合着粗犷不羁的Lo-Fi质地，Christopher Owens和Chet “JR” White这两个隐身在「女孩」背后的大男孩，音乐里没有故作姿态的隐喻或华丽词藻，直率地说着关于心碎、寂寞和逝去恋情的种种，复古迷蒙的酸楚，紧紧牵系着每个人关于青春的记忆。
然而，这混杂甜美和苦涩的浪漫背后，却是Christopher Owens成长于「上帝之子」（Children of God）异教社群交织着自杀、卖淫的晦暗童年，但也是在这个地方，让他从「教友」前Fleetwood Mac吉他手Jeremy Spencer手中获得第一把吉他，并从这个与外界流行文化隔绝的封闭世界，吸纳六、七O年代的音乐养分，进而酝酿出属于Girls的独特怀旧声响。
耽溺于过往恋情的开场曲〈Lust For Life〉和〈Laura〉，洋溢着Beach Boys式的和谐旋律；〈Hellhole Ratrace〉拉扯着伤痕累累的心灵，弥漫宛如Spiritualized的深幽迷幻；〈Morning Light〉、〈Headache〉分别带来深邃迷乱的Shoegazing气息和Dream pop迷蒙动人的温度，至于「台湾特别盘」收录的〈Oh Boy〉和重新翻玩乡村名曲〈End Of The World〉，则有着Bradford Cox附身般的惨情绝美。
失去时序标记的颓靡气味，五颜六色的迷幻药物，日以继夜的海滩派对，Girls音符中彷佛六、七O年代嘻皮的生活态度，将青春的直接和纯粹都被埋入梦幻糖衣包覆的苦果中，你可以说他单纯无知或不识愁滋味，但，青春或许就该如此挥霍啊！
It's often said that great bands are more than just the sum of their parts. In which case, Girls - two San Francisco slackers who go by the name Christopher Owens (words and melodies) and JR White (production and general studio boffinry) - shouldn't need to worry. I mean, just look at the parts…
Let's start with the location: Just as the Velvets crackle with New York electricity and Smiths' songs come soaked in Manchester drizzle, so the music of Girls captures the stoned and sun-baked outlook of life in San Francisco. Taking the classic California pop template perfected by Brian Wilson and applying a woozy, lo-fi makeover, Girls make music that's trapped in a permanent adolescence, one where everyday is designed to be spent getting stoned, lazing in the park and obsessing over love. You'll detect 50's surf-pop, 60's psychedelia and 80's hardcore at play here, not to mention the more modern West Coast sounds of groups like The Tyde. But most of all, you'll hear a musical distillation of the frazzled, San Francisco lifestyle.
"We were both wasters before we met," admits JR. "We'd just be getting drunk and going out every night…"
"San Francisco is made for that lifestyle," adds Christopher. "Even the older people can’t nag at you because that's what they were doing in the 60s."
Next comes the heartbreak: Before Girls came into existence, Christopher played music with his girlfriend in a project called Curls. When the romance fizzled out, Christopher was forced to take over vocal duties and find a new musical partner.
"After I moved to San Francisco I immediately started going out with a girl who was also my best friend. For two years we were living together, making music together … so when we split up it was a pretty drastic change," admits Christopher. "The first batch of songs were pretty much all influenced by that."
Heartbreak and desire are themes that are all over Girls' album, whether it's lusting over a new girl ("I might never get my arms around you/But that doesn't mean that I won't try" - Lauren Marie) or longing for the one you once had ("Maybe if I really try with all of my heart/Then I could make a brand new start in love with you" - Lust for Life).
What's perhaps most striking about these songs - many which appear on Girls forthcoming debut album - is how simple and honest the lyrics are. Eschewing metaphor and flowery language for something far more direct, Christopher's words hit you straight in the heart. As he says himself: "Sometimes the best way is to have simple lyrics. There's this country song by Tim McGraw where he sings: "We're all looking for love and meaning in our lives." To me, that speaks volumes, even though it's so simple."
Last but by no means least is the story … and in Christopher Owens we have quite some story. Born into the hippie Children of God cult, Christopher spent his childhood travelling across the globe, attending prayer sessions whilst being shielded from the outside world. It was, in his own words, "pretty hellish … they thought they could hide us from a whole lot of stuff and teach us to be happy, perfect children of god. But you can't control people like that."
The full story of Christopher's time in the cult, which involves tales of suicide, prostitution and an eventual escape to Texas, is one for another time. But what's clear is that this is far more than just a neat backstory - life in the Children of God had a massive impact on Christopher's songwriting. It was there that he learnt to busk, there that he listened to a diverse array of music made by other cult members, and there that fellow cult member and former Fleetwood Mac guitarist Jeremy Spencer gave him his first guitar, an instrument he still uses to write songs on.
"The whole cult was really based around music," notes Christopher, admitting that he saw a beauty in a lot of the songs they would sing together. "In fact, a lot of Girls' music has a sound that's very much like the Children Of God music. There's a spiritual kind of quality. Even though I'm not at all religious and very much against the whole experience, it's there. Brian Wilson talks about the spiritual thing that music is. I don't know what that is exactly, but I know that if I just close my eyes then music takes me somewhere else."
After leaving the cult at 16 and spending several drug-fuelled years immersed in Amarillo's punk scene, Christopher headed off to find a natural home in San Francisco. It was here that Christopher fell into the local music scene, playing gigs with freak-folkster Ariel Pink and his Holy Shit project (Christopher: "I wouldn't have got into writing music at all if I hadn't played with Holy Shit - watching them play was like a lightbulb going off.") And it was here that he met the final, crucial part in the Girls story: JR.
Strong male friendships serve as the backdrop to some of the best rock'n'roll, from Mick'n'Keef through to John Squire and Ian Brown. Christopher and JR are no exception: not only do they spend all their time together - writing, rehearsing, partying - they even share a bedroom after knocking down the wall that divided their two rooms. And as Christopher's innocent, open-hearted songs began to take shape, JR was on hand to conjure up the perfect musical backdrop. Think of their debut album as a kind of DIY Pet Sounds, recorded in bedrooms and rehearsal spaces on broken equipment.
"I have these visions of grandeur, where I want to hire string sections and timpani, and really go for it like in the 60s," grins JR. "But we were doing it in our bedrooms. We mainly recorded onto reel-to-reel tape, and also on an old computer that shut down on us in the middle of the session. All sorts of variables made the recordings sound like they do."
"But we’re both from a punk background," adds Christopher. "So this is just our punk DIY version of great pop."
Perhaps the best entry point to Girls’ music is forthcoming single Hellhole Ratrace, which builds from gentle acoustic strums to a full-on fuzzy gospel explosion that shows off their love of Spiritualized.
"The day I came up with that song I ran out to find JR and tell him I'd written the best song of my life," reveals Christopher. "We dropped everything we were doing and started recording it."
Meanwhile, the accompanying video encapsulates their San Fran aesthetic perfectly. It was shot by Aaron Brown, one of the many arty outsiders who've become part of the Girls extended family.
You soon realise that every song has a story. Curls is a gorgeous little instrumental, one that Christopher's ex-girlfriend had previously refused to sing on because it wasn’t "rock’n'roll" enough. The handclap-strewn Lust for Life documents the time Christopher met up with his ex following their split and was forced to listen to all the great things she had going for her (a new boyfriend, a father, a beach party with friends). Meanwhile, Laura is a plea to a best friend, asking if they can patch up their differences and start afresh. All feature Chris in astonishingly honest, heart-on-sleeve storytelling mode.
Elsewhere, variety is the order of the day. Far from simple Cali-pop revivalists, the Girls album is a music obsessive's paradise, with references dotted all over the place. Listen carefully and you'll pick up everything from Martin Denny-style exotica (Headache) to blissed-out shoegaze (Morning Light). You'll hear the vocal stylings of Elvis Costello, the spaced-out fuzz of Spaceman 3 and cheeky pop references to the likes of Prince and Iggy. Like Girls themselves, the music is the sum of many fascinating parts.
JR, for one, agrees: "To me, it's the next 30 songs we've already written that are the most exciting. We’re the kind of group where you're gonna want to follow our next step."
And where will this fascinating journey lead to?
The pair shrug, happy to travel wherever inspiration takes, a typically San Fran kind of attitude.
"Let's just say," they grin,"that everyone should definitely keep in touch."