so i recently had the opportunity to interview two-thirds of the vivian girls for the skinny. i saw interview, but all i had to do was play them twelve songs and hear what they had to say bout them. (and yeah, that's a tiny slice of my flat you can see behind their heads - of all the wonderful backdrops, its the empty fish tank that makes it to print...)
Chris Buckle invites The Vivian Girls back to his deluxe Glasgow mansion for a listen to February’s singles. “We could never be music reviewers!” they gasp. “We’re way too hard to please…”
Reviewing Personnel:
Cassie Ramone (guitar/vocals)
Ali Koehler (drums)
Plastiscines - Bitch (Because Music, 1 Feb)
Cassie: I don’t like this. I have the same reaction listening to this as if it were a man going “I’m the maaan”, you know? I generally don’t like lyrics that reinforce gender stereotypes.
Chris: Marks out of ten?
Ali: Can we just do thumbs up or thumbs down? Or thumbs in the middle?
Cassie: Thumbs down.
Ali: Sorry Plastiscines, I’m sure you’re nice people!
Cassie: Well she says she’s a bitch, so…
Ali: In that case I’m sure you’re mean people!
Hot Chip - One Life Stand (Parlaphone, 1 Feb)
Ali: These lyrics are cute. I’m not usually much of a fan of dance music, but it sounds alright.
Cassie: Yeah.
Ali: I guess thumbs in the middle, because I wouldn’t put it on at home, but if it came on in a club I’d probably dance to it.
Ellie Goulding - Starry Eyed (Polydor, 22 Feb)
Ali: (reading press release) oh that’s funny, she’s touring with Passion Pit and I was going to say it sounds like a female Passion Pit.
Cassie: I don’t like the production values.
Ali: It’s not my favourite thing ever, but if my friends told me they absolutely loved her I’d be, like, ‘Ok, cool’.
Cassie: Weird…
Chris: I’m guessing you know the song?
Cassie: Oh I love the original! [by R&B smooth-mover Ginuwine]
Ali: I feel weird rating a cover. I love the original and they didn’t butcher it I guess…
Cassie: So thumbs up for Ginuwine…
Ali: And thumbs up with a question mark at the end for Far.
Frightened Rabbit - Nothing Like You (Fat Cat, 22 Feb)
Cassie: So far this is the closest to what I might listen to.
Ali: I’m waiting to see if there’s a bridge…
Long pause.
Ali: I just want to see where else this will go.
Another pause lasting most of the song.
Ali: It’s catchy, but I’m still just waiting for that bridge…
Cassie: Well, it’s the first song we’re listening to the whole way through…
Ali: I don’t think we’re gonna hear a bridge. Oh well, thumbs in the middle. If it had an awesome bridge I’d have said thumbs up for sure. So close... nah, just kidding – good job guys.
Los Campesinos! - Romance Is Boring (Wichita, 1 Feb)
Ali: These guys are actually friends of ours.
Cassie: So we have to say something good!
Ali: Exactly.
Cassie: They’re doing their thing, they’re having a good time.
Ali: They’re really nice and really cool.
Both laugh
Cassie: Because we know them I don’t know what to say…
Ali: Thumbs up!
Lightspeed Champion - Marlene (Domino, 1 Feb)
Cassie: Woah, he played every instrument himself.
Ali: That’s impressive. I really admire someone who can play so many instruments and make it sound good.
Cassie: The song’s ok...
Ali: I’ll give it thumbs up though for doing it all himself.
Sambassadeur - Days (Labrador, 8 Feb)
Cassie: This is far too happy for me.
Ali: The guy turned down shows because of severe flying anxiety. I can relate to that. Though I don’t think we’ve ever turned any down because of it – we just get nice and drugged up.
Cassie: I don’t feel like I can relate to music with this kind of happy vibe.
Ali: It reminds me of riding bicycles in springtime.
Cassie: Which I never do.
Ali: But if that’s your thing you’d probably like this a lot.
Sennen - Age of Denial (Hungry Audio, 22 Feb)
Ali: The press release compares this to Teenage Fanclub?
Chris: Have you seen any odd comparisons in reviews of your music?
Cassie: All the time! If you think of any band with a female lead singer, we’ve pretty much been compared to them. This isn’t really my cup of tea. Damn, now I feel bad...
Ali: I know, I feel like a dick saying I don’t like them, but what do I know? They probably don’t like us either. And if they do we’re sorry!
Chris: You’re more positive than our last guest reviewers, Mariachi El Bronx...
Cassie: But they’re dudes – if they think things are bad it’s ok.
Super Adventure Club - Pick Up Sticks/Sac Attack (Armellodie Records, 1 Feb)
Ali: It’s definitely quirky…
Cassie: Out of everything we’ve heard I respect this one the most. I like that their instruments are very straightforward.
Ali: They sound like friends fucking around.
Cassie: Yeah, I bet they have a lot of fun together which makes me like it.
Ali: Thumbs up!
Archie Bronson Outfit - Shark’s Tooth (Domino, 22 Feb)
Ali: (shrugs) – can you put that in the review?
Cassie: Yeah. This song is a shrug.
Ali: It sounds like the 2000s.
Single of the Month: Streets of Rage - Beat Your Kids (Self-released, 1 Feb)
Ali: Dude, this rules!
Cassie: Yeah, this is awesome!
Ali: Is that an acoustic electric guitar, or just a shitty electric guitar?
Cassie: It’s like a lo-fi 7 Seconds. I love this.
Ali: It’s such a weird thing to do to hardcore music. I never thought lo-fi hardcore could be a thing but I guess it is!
Cassie: Wait, turn the press release over?
(Ali flips it to reveal a creepy voodoo skull sketch)
Ali: WOW!
Cassie: I’d definitely be interested in picking up an LP by this guy.
Ali: Thumbs up to Alistair!
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