vivian girls is a compact debut from the titular band that leaves one feeling a bit unfulfilled after it’s all said and done. that this album is clearly a nod to 60s girl groups and the direct influence that they had over shoegaze is a significant aspect of its success, especially during a time where a place to bury strangers, deerhunter, no age, autolux, tv on the radio and many other male-oriented rock acts are borrowing liberally from shoegaze without picking up on the same cues. interestingly, vivian girls’ aesthetic works both to their benefit and to their disadvantage as they’re working with a relatively original idea, but one that seems to be in fashion for 2008. while they are a refreshing alternative to bands like the pipettes, they nevertheless lack an integral piece to the girl-group concept: singing capabilities. with the exception of “where do you run to?” the girls’ harmonies rarely sound full and although the shimmering, reverberated vocals are an interesting touch (and of course correspond to their overall aesthetic) they are more of a crutch than they are subversive. vivian girls isn’t terrible— i’d recommend it to anyone who considers themselves to be a fan of shoegaze, but as a record as well as a concept, it feels half-baked. i’ll be more interested to see how the vivian girls continue to interpret pop in terms of shoegaze on later albums, where they’ll be challenged to really break from convention in creative ways.
Filed under: Album Review , 2008, vivian girls
