Girls Against Boys comes to Houston
One of the latest newcomers to the arena of low-fi pop, Boys Against Girls hopes to establish themselves as the kind of names that old-timers Sonic Youth and Sebadoh have become, and hoping to cash in on the apparent void left open by the Youth's advancing age and imminent retirement.
House of GVSB shows off Boys Against Girls as a fivesome with some ability, but doesn't do much on the creative side, a trait that puts it in the category of a low-fi derivative and not a pioneer. House of GVSB swamps the listener in a torrent of buzz-saw guitars and moody bass lines.
Lead singer Scott McCloud's voice gives the impression that he dwells in a state of near madness, his voice growls and drones yet never goes so far as to vent his rage. McCloud's voice is frustrating, yet captivating in a way that other low-fi artists have been ever so successful in accomplishing.
A lot of the time, House of GVSB sounds a little too much like Thurston Moore at the helm of Sonic Youth in the olden days. There are some clever variations and additions that Girls Against Boys experiment with such as a catchy arabesque guitar riff echoing throughout "Superfire." But House of GVSB is a pretty standard work: not bad, not great. More often than not the songs are forgettable, but the talent is there and this group might be worth keeping track of in the future.
Girls Against Boys is performing in Houston at Deep Phat on April 25. Contact the club for concert information.
This item appeared in the Arts & Entertainment section of the April 19, 1996 issue.
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