Girls: Album

San Francisco's Girls are a Beach Boys inspired rock band. When I listen to Album, I can't help but conjure up images of them playing to a small crowd on an abandoned island resort, the ground littered with cigarette butts and empty PBR cans. It's kind of a murky, dirty scene, but there's a certain beauty in it too-a statement that could effectively describe Girls, both musically and lyrically. Album is full of beautiful tunes with fuzzed out guitars, and most of the lyrics are about the battle to overcome sadness. Opener "Lust For Life" serves as a thesis statement for the whole thing. Catchy as hell and written like a stream of conciousness wish list, it's one of the best tracks I've heard all year. "Hellhole Ratrace" is a swirling seven minute epic, seemingly written for the sole purpose of pulling the listener out of a state of depression. As you get closer to the end of the record you might start to think that lead guy Christopher Owens (Who, by the way, has had a very messed up life which you should read about) is a little too precious or that his songs are a bit sophomoric. He's got that covered though with the last track, "Darling," where he tells us that he's gonna be OK because his songs are coming from the heart. You'll believe him.