Girl and Girl – ‘Call A Doctor’ album review: predictable emo-influenced indie rock
THE SKINNY: If you thought emo was a thing of the past, you’d be wrong. Blending jangly guitars with the kind of emo, self-pitying lyricism that was popular in the 2000s, Girl and Girl harness a sound that could be best described as ‘post-emo indie rock’. The Australian band—who signed to Subpop last year—have crafted a debut album, Call A Doctor, intent on bringing a sense of liveliness to melancholy, but it sometimes falls into woeful repetitiveness.
Call A Doctor opens with ‘INTRO’, a spoken-word piece that features a storytelling narrative, with bandleader Kai James stating, “Our story begins in the East wing of the Wesley Hospital.” He explains that a doctor tells a patient that he’s fine, that maybe he finds it easier to wallow in sadness and anxiety because it’s familiar. James, pretending to be the doctor, says, “I feel that you’re choosing not to accept my news of good health because you feel that if you are, in fact, unwell, you never truly have to apply yourself to anything in life.”
While the sentiment is certainly of merit, there’s a slight cheesiness to it, as though we’re listening to a lecture from an outdated 1980s teen movie. The repetition of “You should call the doc-tor,” with the last word delivered as though it’s been split in half, is rather grating, too. Then we’re onto ‘Call A Doctor’, where James’ voice sounds shaky, reflecting the lyrical themes of mental struggle. His voice is like Marmite’s – some listeners will love his distinctive delivery, while others will find it irritating and self-indulgent.
The album is certainly a personal one, with the band using music as a method for finding mental clarity. Yet, James’ lyrics are incredibly on the nose – there are no intricate metaphors here; rather, he lays out his feelings so that they cannot be mistaken. While this makes his words more accessible, you can’t help but wince at lyrics like “I’ve been talking with my body/ And we think there has been a robbery/ Only tortured thoughts are left/ Of lonely thoughts of pain and dread.”
Songs like ‘Mother’, ‘You’ll Be Alright’ and ‘Comfortable Friends’, which appear near the end of the record, are much stronger than their predecessors, revelling much more sun-soaked, fun instrumentals, with James’ vocals (and lyrics) much more enjoyable. These tracks feel perfect for festival season, hopefully allowing the band to bring the Australian sunshine to every stage they play. ‘Mother’ specifically feels like an indie banger, standing out among the rest of the songs as an album highlight.
While the first half of Call A Doctor sounds like a poor imitation of bands like Car Seat Headrest and early Black Country, New Road, the band seems to find their feet further into the LP. Still, they remain comfortably in the realm of this indie rock-emo hybrid that is certainly an acquired taste.
For fans of: (500) Days of Summer and Midwest emo.
A concluding comment from my boyfriend: “I feel like I’m at an afters and the guy wearing a checked shirt and Vans has whipped out a guitar and made me listen to his new songs.”
Call A Doctor track-by-track:
Release Date: May 24th | Producer: Burke Reid | Label: Sub Pop
‘INTRO’: It’s like a weird monologue from a quirky indie movie from the late 2000s featuring manic pixie dream girls whom the male lead uses to ‘cure’ himself. [2/5]
‘Call A Doctor’: James’ voice sounds like it’s constantly shaking as he struggles to communicate his feelings, but the words that come out sadly sound like they’re being read from a teenage diary: “Life is hard to live with tears that never dry.” [2.5/5]
‘Hello’: The band recorded the album in just two weeks, and boy, can you tell. The guitars here are uninspired, and so is the melody, with the song ending with sections of ‘So Long, Farewell’ from The Sound of Music, for some reason. [2.5/5]
‘Maple Jean and the Anthropecene’: More self-indulgence and references to scrolling Wikipedia. “There’s no God; there is just me,” he sings. [2.5/5]
‘Oh Boy!’: More predictable melodies. You’ve heard this before. [2.5/5]
‘Suffocate’: This song has a bit of an early Maccabees sound, but the lyrics are a little worse for wear. “We’ll try and love you, we’ll suffocate and love you,” is repeated over and over and over. [2.5/5]
‘Mother’: Definitely the album’s best track. While it’s not the most original number you’ll ever hear, there’s a nice summery atmosphere that permeates throughout, tinted with nostalgia. [3/5]
‘You’ll Be Alright’: This track sounds like a late summer evening and recalling memories of cycling around in the sun with your friends. [3/5]
‘Comfortable Friends’: A slightly slower number that proves that when the band strip themselves back, the result is quite nice. [3/5]
‘Our Love (Our Only)’: Another slower track that bears more of a dream pop influence, only to explode into gritty guitars that add an emotional punch. [3/5]
‘OUTRO’: Predictable melodies, but the lyrics are rather heartfelt and more intimate, making for a tender close. [2.5/5]
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