Girl Friday’s Androgynous Mary: A Striking Debut

by JUSTIN CERVANTES

hardlyartrecords · Girl Friday - "Amber's Knees: A Matter Of Concern"

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Since 2017, the LA-based feminist band, Girl Friday, has dropped a steady trickle of post-rock material. Let it be known, however, that any assumption viewing the band as a direct descendant of the 90’s riot grrrl flame should be immediately dispelled. With their debut LP, ​Androgynous Mary, Girl Friday presents a more reserved and complex perspective of the female experience in the 21st century.

At times, the LP draws a parallel to Sylvia Plath’s ​The Bell Jar. Whether it’s the somber yet intense tone which fills the half hour runtime, or the foreboding theme about struggling with one’s identity and relationships as a woman, ​Androgynous Mary reenacts some of the brilliance of Plath’s famous novel through its poetical lyrics. Notably, the slower and deeper cuts of this record, such as “Clotting” and “Gold Stars,” best capture Plath’s tone.

However, ​Androgynous Mary is just as happy to scream its uniqueness in your face, too. The front half of this record is packed with catchy and fierce melodies which sound more punk and grunge than rock. Standout tracks like “Eaten Thing” even sound menacing — an unexpected change in tone for the LP considering its themes. However, it is this unpredictability which grips the listener and resonates with them.

And though I draw a strange parallel between Plath’s ​The Bell Jar and Girl Friday’s Androgynous Mary, there is still one striking difference between the two works: the LP ends its story on an optimistic note — not only on its theme, but for the band as a whole. It encourages a fight for survival in our modern world, a fight which Girl Friday exemplifies with their beautiful work, ​Androgynous Mary.

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Listen to Androgynous Mary by Girl Friday out on Hardly Art Records and keep up with us on Instagram for more albums to get you out of bed in the morning

Words by Justin Cervantes

Photos by Scott Free