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June 30, 2008
M.S. Pick: "Where Do You Run To?"
Vivian Girls - "Where Do You Run To?"
Burning through 10 songs in 22 minutes, Vivian Girls' self-titled debut doesn't offer much space to get comfortable. The Brooklyn fuzz-maidens' general M.O. is haunted C86 pop, with loose limbed drumming and clenched fist guitars. It may not be the most inventive configuration, but it's hardly a cynically retro fashion construct either. The band's convicted songs carry enough mumbled melody to charm on first listen and the judicious brevity to avoid a worn welcome on repeated spins. But of all the blinks and snaps this tiny album offers, it's "Where Do You Run To" that feels assured enough to demand some quality time. The vocals elsewhere on the record have a wobbly post-punk skittishness to them. You know, that appealing '79 spark when women without practiced sheen were nonetheless determined to cut a record, like, now. "Where Do You Run To" has an easier glide than the DIY divas that provided its probable influence. The song's bass and drum lines are too lively for "ballad" to be an accurate descriptor, but it's no pogo dust-up either. Three voices meld into a foamy-sweet siren's call, luring surfers to a lovely braining on the rocky shore. It's one of a few places where the group's ramshackle components aren't content with plucky cohabitation, and actually combine towards a tough but gentle tune that's bigger than pocket-size.
The record's miniscule first pressing sold out everywhere it was stocked within a week, though a wider release is planned for the fall. This is the first among several mixtape keepers 'til then.
Posted by Jeff Klingman at June 30, 2008 12:31 AM
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Comments
This is a great song. Case closed!
Posted by: John M at June 30, 2008 03:24 PM
