Girl In a Coma

Trio B.C. (Blackheart)

By Adrienne Urbanski
Published: June 2nd, 2009 | 11:15am

Girl In a Coma does a lot with very little on sophomore album, Trio B.C.; Unlike other groups who gloss up their tracks with borrowed beats and rotating members excessive in numbers, Girl In a Coma keeps its formula simple: a bassist, drummer, and a vocalist-guitarist. Bassist Jenn Alva and drummer Phanie Diaz met as rebellious high school girls, skipping classes to listen to their Nirvana and Smiths records. The girls later recruited Phanie’s little sister, Nina Diaz, to take on vocal duties.

As hardcore Smiths' fans, one would easily guess that the group’s name pays homage to the Smiths' tune, “Girlfriend In a Coma.” However, the tie between the two groups doesn’t end there, as lead singer Nina’s voice has drawn many comparisons to the same lilting tone of Morrissey(despite being from San Antonio, her voice often suggests a British accent.) Intrigued by the band’s name, Morrissey attended a Girl In a Coma show and later asked the group to open on his 2007 East Coast tour as well as overseas this year.

Girl In a Coma shows a wealth of versatility on Trio B.C., dabbling in Latin, punk, and blues sounds, giving each track a unique flavor. Nina’s voice in part makes these transitions seamless, with a gorgeous tone capable of spitting out thrashing rock numbers as well as the delicate ballads. One of the album’s strongest tracks is “Joannie In the City,” an appropriately titled, up-tempo, punk-flavored track on which their label’s head honcho, Joan Jett, lends vocals. The opening track, “BB,” has the band successfully dabbling in Latin-flavored guitar, a sound that gives a nod to their San Antonio roots, later shifting to a rousing rock tone during which Diaz proclaims, "You seem so strange now / I scream, 'Well leave me alone!'"

In "Baby Boy," she confronts an immature male suitor, telling him, "Baby boy / You’ve grown up with your toys / And now your face is red / Because you’re blushing again." As on the majority of the album, the group maintains an appealingly fast tempo replete with thrashing guitar. Slowing pace on the ballad, “El Monte,” in which Nina croons over a love, confessing, "I do want to marry you," expressing a desire to "Wash all your clothes" and "Suck your toes." Later, she sadly inquires, "Am I just another score?" Diaz’s voice is given here the focus it lacks on much of the album. Finally given center stage on the track, its smooth, velvety feel deliciously floats over the delicately rendered guitar chords.

Though this album has already made one new fan, it can be noted Girl In a Coma's potential for musical growth: Nina’s ever-versatile voice, the band’s greatest asset, can often times slip beneath the skillful guitar work when the songs would be better suited to focus on her breathtaking vocal capabilities. While some songs show a tightness, others meander with lyrics that could use a bit of refining. That said, Trio B.C. is an album to tap your feet to for some time to come, and we are sure to only be seeing great things from this talented trio.

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