• Reviews

• All
• Music
• DVDs
• Live
• Cinema
• TV
• Books
• Comic Books
• Video Games

Jan 29, 2021 Web Exclusive By Andy Von Pip

Two years on from their scuzzy 19-track self-titled debut, London quartet Goat Girl return with On All Fours, their “difficult” second album. Truth be told it’s an album that sounds anything but difficult, as the band adroitly distill all the elements that made Goat Girl such an intriguing proposition the first time around. Dan Carey’s production gently finesses the band’s sound without sacrificing any of their edge and the result is a more considered album. The band fuse a compelling mix of styles touching on psych, post-punk, prog, a dash of Southern Gothic noir, and a surprisingly nimble line in synth-pop. As such it’s difficult to attach a meaningless and often reductive one size fits all genre tag to encapsulate their sound. However, it’s clear that despite being labelled as a band from the “scene” around the Windmill venue in Brixton, London, Goat Girl sound nothing like the artists they are often lumped in with.

On All Fours sees Goat Girl developing their musical style with a graceful, almost effortless, ease. Whilst there’s nothing quite as overtly politically direct as “Burn the Stake” from their debut—which finished with the rather glorious lines “Build a bonfire, build a bonfire, put the Tories on the top/Put the DUP in the middle and we’ll burn the fucking lot”—Goat Girl still get their points across in a more subtle and oblique way. Previous single, the throbbing undulating synth-driven “Sad Cowboy” is a frustrated lament on the dystopian times we are living through and singer/guitarist Lottie Pendlebury (aka Lottie Cream) explained in the press release it’s inspired by feeling that “when you’re within a world that constantly makes you feel as though you’re living out a really bad dream, disillusionment is inevitable.”

Global warming, social injustices, and censorship are all touched upon and delivered with wit, passion and a scintilla of ennui. “Once Again” is a hypnotic almost prog-ish exploration in sound and textures, “PTS Tea” even flirts with being jaunty and opens playfully with the line “PTSD, from a hot cup of tea.” “The Crack” is a gritty and quite marvellous slice of driving garage indie, whereas tracks like “Anxiety Feels” and “Bang” have an almost ethereal dream-like quality, the former addressing struggles with mental health with insight and honesty.

On All Fours is the sound of a young band willing to take risks and expand their sonic palette and whilst it sounds less confrontational than their debut it’s every bit as innovative and compelling. (www.goatgirl.co.uk)

Author rating: 8/10