They call this post-punk, this all-
female band from South London
calling themselves Goat Girl.
Not sure how I came by them, about
five years ago; likely, that early in my
experience streaming music, I stumbled
upon them, as one does, shuffling through
“things you might like.” Apparently,
I liked it. I liked it enough to buy this
record, although, as I go to spin it,
as has happened dozens of times
now while going through my collection,
I don’t remember it, couldn’t hum a
single tune.
As I play the first side of this double
record, it happens that I like it again.
I’m not sure I understand post-punk
as a descriptor. Post, meaning after?
Wouldn’t that mean every record
after the punk movement of the late
70’s and early 80’s? That’s a lot of post-
punk. I would think that it would have
to be somehow punk adjacent, or punk
inspired, and as I’m listening to this
pretty clean, hi-fi recording of songs that
are not overtly political, not especially
angry, and melodically hummable,
I’m not sure I hear anything punk
about Goat Girl. I mean, the lead vocal,
while tuneful, is delivered in a kind
of understated, lazy way. She’s not
showing off her singing prowess.
The drums are a little loose. Interesting,
but loose. And even while the tunes
make inventive, almost progressive
changes in tempo or feel mid-song,
there seems to be a general imprecision
about the performances. That seems
to be it: the punk aesthetic, the
democratization of music-making,
the idea that anyone can play the
rock and roll if they can pick up an
instrument. Not that the Goat Girl
gals are poor musicians, but it seems
clear that they’re not trying too hard.
They are after a vibe. It’s not about
how accomplished they are on their
instruments, but rather whether they
can make you feel something, tickle
your auditory nerves, lull you into a
comfortable confusion, hypnotize
you into a pretty mellow mood.
It’s a record that is easy to listen to,
a most un-punk characteristic, but
it’s not a record that includes very
many of what the kids these days
call “bangers.” This is Goat Girl’s
second album, and after picking it up,
I neither went back for the debut
or followed them for the next one.
It’s good music that I find enjoyable
to revisit, music that nevertheless
failed to turn me into a Goat Girl boy.
Notes on the vinyl edition: On All Fours, Rough Trade Records, 2020, double black vinyl.
In case you don’t already know: I’m listening to almost everything in my vinyl collection, A to Z, and writing at least one, sometimes two or three long skinny poem-like-things in response for each artist, and on a few occasions, writing a long skinny poem-like-thing in response to more than one artist. As a poet and a student of poetry, I understand that these things look like poems, but they don’t really sound much like poetry, hence, I call them “poem-like-things.” I’ll admit that they’re just long, skinny essays that veer every now and then into the poetic or lyric.
michael jarmer 