The Jealous Girlfriends
Issue #36
self-titled (Good Fences)
By Garin Pirnia
Published: August 1st, 2008 | 10:21am
Sure, their music has appeared on Grey’s Anatomy, but they are more than just a McDreamy scene enhancer. Brooklyn quartet Jealous Girlfriends know how to craft a perfect pop song. Following 2005’s Comfortably Uncomfortable EP, their self-titled debut album alternates between rock, pop, and melancholic bliss that sports commercial appeal — while still maintaining its indie roots.
Lead vocalist Holly Miranda delivers her lyrics with ruffled melancholy and cogency in songs that encompass the universal themes of love and life. The opening song, “Secret Identity,” sets the pace with well-crafted lyrics: “Left your secret identity by the kitchen sink / I’ve got all the life I’m breathing / Everything will be all right.” Josh Abbott contributes his vocals on the rock-centric “How Now,” screeching “You can bury me with your bullets and your smile.” Infectious track “The Pink Wig to My Salieri” pays tribute to the Italian composer and pops in the process; and “I Quit” sprawls and hits anthematic tendencies with lacerating guitars.
By far the best song on the album — and one of the best this year — is “Roboxulla.” Miranda sings about kamikaze dragonflies and belts, “This nothing is more real than this something that mind can feel,” accompanied by bouncy keys and luscious vocals. Miranda channels her inner Fiona Apple on “Organs on the Kitchen Floor” as dizzying horns and percussion crash and burn. “Hieroglyphics” is another highlight with melodious keys and dual vocals. The album ends on “Carry Me,” a languid ballad about heartbreak: “It’s true my heart's a mess / But it was never really clean I guess.” It’s the kind of life-affirming track fit for a TV show or a rainy day. Arduously touring in support of this record, the Girlfriends should finally be pushed into the public eye.
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