Favourite Girl – self-titled
Primarily smoking with the enthusiasm & energy of the ‘60s girl groups that dominated the Top 25 when The Beatles, the Rolling Stones & Motown were asleep at the wheel. Favorite Girl also has the girl-group edge of the punk-new wave era (Romeo Void, Robin Lane & the Chartbusters).
The opener has some cool Spanish horns that decorate their rocking vocals on “Thank You.” Though it’s to the point & somewhat sugary, the mainstream push is captivating. Commercially fine-tuned & well produced. The group follows with “Not Going Back,” with the attitude that Blondie, the Waitresses, & Go Go’s made a career with. persistent melodies that fill tunes like this one. The varied female voices are impeccable. Tight drums, simple, direct & clean, with pour-down like silver fills. There are 11 tunes to the self-titled debut Favourite Girl (Drops April 10/Independent/35:27) produced by Kevin Bowe.
There are moments where the feminine aggression of the late Lesley Gore (“That’s the Way Boys Are” “Judy’s Turn To Cry,” “You Don’t Own Me”) ghostly passes with the bite of the Shangri-Las (“Dressed In Black,” “I Can Never Go Home Again,” “Remember, Walking In the Sand”). It’s evident in excellent tunes like “Not Fun Anymore,” which has the lineage well woven in.
Their music drives without being pretentious. Their unified vocals shape a universal sound that is ideal for their showcase. It’s sugary, but the little grains of soul they possess (“Confetti”) keep the flavor — favorable. Some will say what soul? Use your imagination; the Shirelles could have sung these songs. “Back Up Plan” is a sharp rocker with a tight percussive arrangement & this too has a pinch of soul in the undertow. Nice trumpet notes brush the ensemble nicely. The ‘60s vibe is strong & not done with a nostalgic turn but as an additive.
They may call it Feminist Resistance Rock, but that was done by some of the female artists of the ‘60s. This could be considered a continuation, though it seldom suggests a strongly defiant songwriting style. They don’t come across as angry. Just firm. Their retro style (both early ‘60s & late ‘70s) doesn’t detract from their muscular effort. They’re a good rock band. But they don’t improve on The Slits, Fanny, or Patti Smith.
The vocals are always quite compelling in their original way. “Kissing Boys” & “Over & Over” are superb short tracks that are never overcooked. Lots of good songs on this LP. Worth checking.
Highlights – “Thank You,” “Not Going Back,” “Not Fun Anymore,” “Confetti,” “Back Up Plan,” “Shine,” “Kissing Boys,” “Over & Over,” “Getting Better,” & “Favorite Girl.”
Musicians – Katy Vernon (ukulele/vocals), Allie Pikala (lead guitar/vocals), Daisy Forester (bass/vocals), Alyse Emanuel (drums/vocals) & Paul Odegaard (trumpet) with Barb Brynstad (bass on 2 tracks).
Color image by Randy Vanderwood. CD @ Bandcamp & https://katyvernon.com/