Girlpool - “Like I’m Winning It”

SXSW 2020 - OEB Score: 9; Popularity Index: 7

Pairs Well With…Sleigh Bells, Waxahatchee, Frankie Cosmos

Girlpool are a band that evolves record to record, so while new single “Like I’m Winning It” bursts with thick new wave synths and a dark, chillwave atmosphere, the jarring shift isn’t really unexpected from the excitedly creative duo. Shedding the melancholy, breezy indie rock that defined their excellent 2019 record What Chaos Is Imaginary, Girlpool reveal a quietly sexy sound that embraces the future unknown instead of the tender nostalgia that so defined what came before. It’s different, but totally works, adding a mysterious balance that hopefully informs whatever is next from the LA indie rock/pop band. (Kevin McStravick)

2017 Review: Oxymorons like “quiet intensity” are made for bands like Girlpool, a two-piece (no drums) from LA that’s a mix of punk, folk and rock and performed in a unique and personable way.  The band’s second record Before the World Was Big is surprisingly far reaching for a band grounded in minimalism.  Lyrically, Girlpool talks about everyday situations, sometimes with a grander theme at play and other times purposefully personal and real.  Throbbing songs like “Crowded Stranger” or the less-than-a-minute punch of “Magnifying Glass” have a way of letting your mind fill in the sonic gaps, making the listener noticeably more involved in their music, playing along with Girlpool instead of just being part of a one-way conversation.  It’s clever, effective and true.