Chances are that if you've been listening to Girls since their 2009 debut, you own a number of V-neck tees, a pair of glasses that went out of style 30 years ago and have a real hankering for Pabst Blue Ribbon.
But perhaps most importantly, you'll be able to truly appreciate the immense progression this band has made in a mere two years.
"Father, Son, Holy Ghost" is Girls' third record overall and second full-length LP next to their aforementioned debut, simply titled "Album," and 2010's "Broken Dreams Club" EP, and it is by far one of the best records of the past few years.
This album evolves into a series of emotions: love, longing, self-pity, forgiveness — they're all featured prominently throughout the entire album and ring louder and truer than ever. Singer/rhythm guitarist Christopher Owens further solidifies his place as indie's most melancholy yet powerful songwriter by accenting his lyrics with philosophical arguments and universal truths that resonate with almost every listener. On "Just a Song," Owens repeatedly croons "Love, love, love; it's just a song" in a wounded sigh that recalls a young Elliott Smith who's had an even worse day than usual. And on "Forgiveness" he proclaims "And you'll have to forgive me brother, and you'll have to forgive me sister, and I'll have to forgive you if we're ever gonna move on".
Owen's voice is an integral part of what makes this album so great. It is an anomaly because the way he sings is not, in a traditional sense, necessarily "good." His tone and timbre constantly waver, and it is evident that he can't really hold a note. However, without the ragged, fragmented quality of his voice, Owens wouldn't be able to disarm the listener the way he does. It's this vulnerability that tinges each line with pure drama. He comes off as the underdog, and we can't help but root for him in his quest for love ("Honey Bunny"), self-acceptance ("Forgiveness") and simply moving on in life ("Saying I Love You").
However, vocals and lyrics are only half the battle when it comes to crafting a fully involved album. The actual musical aspect is where many bands falter.
Fortunately, this is most definitely not the case with "Father, Son, Holy Ghost."
While Girls do fall into the sophomore slump in the sense that they go for bigger, more grandiose arrangements, it all (miraculously) works very well and allows all parts of the album to adhere together in a very organic way. The instrumentation builds and grows, and each song seems related to the last, despite the constant changing of musical styles.
The songs borrow heavily from the rock and roll of days passed and sound relatively familiar but not in a bad way. "Honey Bunny" recalls "Wild Honey"-era Beach Boys mixed with a touch of surf rock, and "Die" draws inspiration from Deep Purple's "Highway Star." While "Album" was recorded solely by Owens and his partner in crime, Chet "JR" White, the addition of a full band on "Father, Son, Holy Ghost" gives the album a more fleshed out sound; just listen for the gospel organ on "Vomit" or the synthesized flutes on the outro of "Die."
Speaking of which, the former is not only one of the best songs on the album but also one of the most fully developed, emotional and immaculate songs of the past decade.
Telling the tale of lost love, "Vomit" does for this album what "Stairway to Heaven" did on "Led Zeppelin IV"; it provides a central point of focus and acts as the six and a half-minute crescendo on an already brilliant and ambitious album.
"Father, Son, Holy Ghost" will stand the test of time. It has everything that a lot of today's music lacks, and with that, Girls reach a whole new plateau not only as a band but as a movement.
Hats off to you, Girls; the fruits of your labor are absolutely delicious.
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