After some recent research completed for a project on girl bands, Here Comes Everyone have decided to do a playlist focusing on some of the fantastic girl bands over the past 50 years. Please note: does not contain the Spice Girls.
1. The Slits – “New Town”
With a punk attitude, a diverse post-punk palette of sounds and a sexy-cum-surly attitude, The Slits were one of our most interesting girl bands. They had a genuinely accomplished and innovative sound devoid of gimmicks, which is well represented in this track, filled with quirky, under-stated vocals and assorted guitar sounds and techniques.
The Slits - New Town by MirandaM
2. Azure Ray – “Fever”
American dream-pop duo Azure Ray have been releasing stuff on and off for the past ten years or so. In this song they display fully their beautiful collective vocal sound, which is soft, calm and quietly sad. Simply a beautiful, soothing track.
Azure Ray - Fever by Voe
3. The Pierces – “Glorious”
This is a new track that has had a lot of airplay recently on British radio. The Pierces are two sisters from the southern US, whose self-professed hippie upbringing is clearly reflected in this Haight-Ashbury, 60s vibe track. Very reminiscent of The Mamas and The Papas, “Glorious” has a haunting, prepossessing quality in its melody and within the girl’s combined harmonies.
4. Dum Dum Girls – “He Gets Me High”
The quoted prodigy of The Bangles and The Cure, Dum Dum Girls have a gritty punk inspired sound inflected with the odd flourish of southern Californian brightness. This track is obviously guitar driven, but with melodious, layered vocals that are soft and accessible.
Dum Dum Girls - He Gets Me High by The Wounded Jukebox
5. Le Tigre – “Deceptacon”
Le Tigre developed from the ashes of prolific Riot Grrrl band Bikini Kill, and perhaps obviously, their work deals directly with feminist and socio-political issues. They wrote some pretty excellent tunes to accompany their message, such as the awesome “Deceptacon”, full of hip-hop/Kraftwek inspired synth vibes and punk inspired lyrics.
6. The Shangri-Las – “I Can Never Go Home Anymore”
There may be a presumption that when first listening to this track The Shangri-Las were just another 60s girl-trio. This would be a huge mistake. The Shangri-Las were incredibly punk-ish and forward thinking with their subject matter, which, when tackling death, teenage sex and desperation in the early 1960s was incredibly innovative. This track is desperately sad and tender, but through tracks like this they have since influenced the likes of Riot Grrrl, Best Coast and numerous others.
7. Robots in Disguise – “Turn It Up”
Contemporary electro-punk group Robots in Disguise split their time between London and Berlin. They have a very punchy sound and attitude with plenty of modern twists amongst the mountains of analogue synth.
Robots in Disguise - Turn It Up by iammilk
8. Kleenex/LiLiput – “Nice”
Kleenex were a girl band from Switzerland who displayed the archetypal post-punk attitude – remnants of punk aggression mixed with a cool despondency and arresting nonchalance. They frequently sang lyrics in both English and German, which, although initially a bit alien and jarring, does work well within their post-punk context. This is a curiously catchy song, with a strongly quirky, upbeat quality.
