"We wanted something that was honest and straightforward. We both wanted to be super vulnerable… Because of the stripped down nature of our music, if one of us messes up, it’s incredibly noticeable. We’re not trying to hide".
Cleo Tucker, Pitchfork
Based in Los Angeles, Girlpool consists of guitarist Cleo Tucker and bassist Harmony Tividad, who are childhood friends. They specialize in the kind of memorable indie pop minimalism that might remind you of Varsity - but with an effective dose of subversive punk spirit.
"Jane", a track from their debut self-titled 2014 EP, is a great introduction to their "sincere and satirical" lyricism, which comes accompanied by high pitched shrieking and bluesy Americana guitar twangs:
'Tommy went a-walkingHe usually did the talkingTill one day he shut his mouthJane was a dancer she never said the answerThen she shoved her fist in Tommy's mouthTommy wasn't angryHe realised he'd been shadyTalking out of both sides of his mouthJane is quite the ladyI'm proud my mother made meTommy never spoke too fast againGirls and boys if you are listeninDon't ever feel imprisonedFeeling like your mouth is glued tight shutYou were born for a reasonShare all your feelingsIf you are a Jane put your fist up too'
Lyrics: Genius
There's clearly layers of buried angst and raw, seething rage within this nursery rhyme-ish morality tale. As you might expect, the ominous narrative serves as an oblique metaphor for female oppression in the everyday setting of a co-ed conversation - a societal phenomenon heightened by the male-centric nature of the music industry:
"'Jane' is a song about not feeling worthy to speak your mind. At the time this song was written, I was spending a lot of my time in male dominated environments. I rarely felt listened to, totally respected, or taken as seriously as I hoped to be. I was swallowing my words. I didn't feel like they were considered valid to those who surrounded me. 'Jane' is intended to communicate this message: Do not allow a person to diminish your ideas. Stand behind your thoughts with a vigorous sense of pride. When your words are not taken seriously, voice that they must be. We hope this song makes you think about situations you may feel oppressed in, or maybe situations you might be inflicting the oppression, and can allow you to think of ways to stop it from happening in your life."
Girlpool, The Lesigh
