Girls are coming to the Majestic Theatre tonight. So is the band.
The two permanent members of Girls, Chris Owens and Chet ""JR"" White, have supplemented the lineup for their latest outing with Dan Eisenberg on organ, as well as a female trio adding background vocals.
""We only sort of planned to have [Eisenberg] play on [the album],"" White said when asked about the varying sound of their new album Father, Son, Holy Ghost. ""We had used him on the EP and he came up with a ton of great stuff that we liked.""
""We always had the interest in hiring backup singers, male or female we weren't sure at the time, and we ended up getting a recommendation for these three women,"" he said ""and we really liked what they did.""
The album's sound really spotlights the many different hands that went into it, with surf-rock anthems coinciding with slow, soulful ballads and heavy punk numbers.
With such seemingly random grouping of sounds present on one album, it's obvious the band isn't worried about being pigeon-holed into a genre, or any comparisons that other people may draw. The New York Times has compared them to Buddy Holly and the Beatles, but White didn't seem too concerned about living up to those expectations.
""The press is the one that put us there, so you just sort of exist wherever you're put,"" White said. ""We're not going to do anything out of our comfort or change the way we do things to change a label.""
""I don't care, so I just say we make our music for ourselves and wherever we get tagged is where we go,"" he added.
Elaborating further on the comparisons the band has drawn White sounded a bit more cynical but very worldly.
""We are not Buddy Holly or the Beatles or the Everly Brothers, that's just the music that Chris grew up listening to, that I grew up listening to and I think most Americans did. We sort of revel in it a little more than other people,"" White said. ""It's a great comparison, but it's pretty unrealistic at this point. I guess any band that gets called anything early in their career, it's just going to come back and whip them.""
When asked how he got his start with music, White got nostalgic, citing his forays to local punk shows as a teen as inspiration to his first inklings to make music of his own. White went on to elaborate about his budding production career, and was quick to divulge who he would like to produce for.
""I'd like to work with Smith Westerns, I'd like to produce their next record,"" he said.
Still, White describes his working relationship in the studio as very open, pursuing whatever he finds interesting. One artist he has been working with is currently crashing with him.
""I'm very supportive of people that I meet: I've always been that person that opens whatever I have up to people I find interesting,"" White said. ""I have a nice studio in San Francisco now that I have access to and when I can I get bands in."" Raving about his current collaboration with San Francisco-based Melted Toys, White said, ""I wish I could do more of that kind of stuff .""
Touring in support of Father, Son, Holy Ghost, Girls has been on the road since Sept. 3, and though White says their recent Toronto show was one of heir best ever, he's looking forward to lighting up Madtown.
""Everyone's been telling us, at least in the Midwest, that Madison's really fun,"" White said, ""and hopefully the crowd is bringing their best energy to the show.""
You heard him Madison. Let's make it worth their while.
Tonight's show starts at 9 p.m. with doors opening at 8 p.m. Tickets are $15, but The Daily Cardinal has tickets to give away! Follow us @DailyCardinal and like us on Facebook for your chance to win!
