Rating: 4/5
Verdict: nostalgic, sadistic pop
Christopher Owen, the brains and voice behind San Francisco's Girls sounds sad - about girls.
He's had a bit of a sad life really - starting with a nomadic childhood in a religious cult and later breaking away to make it on his own in America.
After busking as a child and playing in his friends' bands later on, his own music has been a long time coming - and he has poured a heartful of hang-ups into his debut, Album.
The squeal of a harmonica and an indie handclap in Lust for Life, which opens with the words "I wish I had a Boyfriend", is Owen's confession that he is a bit of a mess.
In Laura he pleads to be friends, at least, and in Curls - the most choked-up track, which is named after the band he had with his ex-girlfriend - he leaves it up to the simple instrumental melody to spell out his tears.
Ghost Mouth which opens with Ronettes-esque percussion is accompanied by dusty vocals of a tavern-singing legend, meanwhile tinny, island strums ring through God Damned and the song with the censored title is a celebration of a scratchy 60s Beach Boys record.
Owen's long-player debut is everything from a little bit wholesome country, a little bit punky-party in the garage, to a little bit of rock 'n' roll nostalgia.
Yes it's sad, but it's tuneful, it's fresh and it doesn't try to be too clever.
