Girls - Morning Light (Fantasytrashcan/Turnstile)

An American band with a Google-proof name produces a debut record with the similarly difficult title, Album, to great acclaim in 2009. But that's the tip of the factual iceberg because the band's lead singer, Christopher Owen, is a former member of the Children of God cult and was previously not allowed to listen to music outside the confines of the group. In spite of or perhaps because of this, Girls have released one of the more inspiring records of recent years.

The band's newest single is 'Morning Light' and the fourth to be released on the audiophile's dream format, 7-inch vinyl. A lot has been written about the artists' diverse influences, ranging from 50s surf pop to 60s psychedelia and 80s shoegaze. But despite the obvious differences between these genres, this seems like the best way to approach and appreciate the group's sound.

On 'Morning Light' the focus is primarily on the psychedelic and shoegaze elements, as some great experimental white noise synonymous with The Velvet Underground is coupled with elements from the latter movement. While Australia's very own Mercy Arms produced similarly grand songs brimming with atmospheric raw power, Girls also have the advantage of Owen's androgynous vocals, even if they appear to be washed out in their own contemporary wall of sound here.

The closest you'll get to simplifying all of the layered, disparate elements found in this 2:36 wonder would be to say it's the equivalent of John Lennon's '#9 Dream' being performed by some rowdy, young upstarts in their tiny garage. On the one hand it leaves you wanting to float away in a rainbow-coloured, drug-hazed cloud, but at its core simply sets out to make you dance unabashed like a big kid.

Rating: 4.5/5

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Girls' official website
http://www.matadorrecords.com/girls/index.html

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Girls on MySpace
http://www.myspace.com/girls

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