http://www.divshare.com/download/5280835-e70

I posted about the Vivian Girls a few weeks ago in the 2008 phishing thread and after listening to this thing and giving it some time to sink in, I felt they deserved their own thread. This is a really nice bit of distorted lo-fi pop. One of the better discs I've heard recently. A lot of real solid, catchy melodies on here mixed with some shoegazy distortions and just general lo-fi grime.

If you like Black Tambourine and things of that nature, well, you'd be a fan of Vivian Girls.

I'd upload a few individual sample songs, but I'm at work and feel you should just listen to this whole thing. Here's their myspace!!!

http://www.myspace.com/viviangirlsnyc

Listen to this, people.

Meh... lots of hype, not a lot of substance. I went to their show month or two ago, and was underwhelmed. They didn't play particularly catchy songs, and they weren't very good at playing their instruments either. It seemed like a band practice between teenage girls, which I guess, it sort of was. They're pretty new and were kind of thrust into the spotlight since they're from NYC, so maybe give it some time to see if they evolve into something really good. But the hipsters have a hold of them already, so maybe that will stifle their growth... I dunno... I feel like Debbie Downer. Sorry.

Hey, cool,
it's a mash up cover

"Where Do You Run To" has quickly become one of my favorite songs of the year. The rest of the album is pretty enjoyable (10 songs in 20 minutes helps), but I don't expect it to have much shelf life.

I got this album last month and i'm already tired of it. After a while, everything just runs together.

I got this a while ago too, gave it a listen and shelved it, then started reading all the hype about the band, pulled it out again, listened, listened, put it back on the shelf. I dunno. I don't get it, I guess.

agreed... amazing little tune.

i'm still on the fence as to whether i need to buy this or not.

so Pitchfork really liked this a whole lot, eh?

Hi

The tunes on their myspace bored me to tears I'll pass. The monotonous and poorly executed drumming really hurts these songs...at least the ones I heard.

I heard a song on the radio the other day and thought it was quite alright. I should check out the record though.

"Where Do You Run To" is pretty much the only tune on this that i listen to anymore...

I like how these songs remind me a little of early Stereolab. I dunno, I might pick this up.

For girl groups who can't play for shit, I think I like Mika Miko a little better.

Vivian Girls -- how cool! Henry Darger lives!!

count me in with the "i have no clue why this is getting hype" crowd.

Decent, but there's SO MUCH of this around. Hell, tonight at the Bottle there are a handful of similar bands (The Ettes, etc.). Girl group + reverb + distortion. Oldest indie trick in the book. Like, if hipsters paid regular attention to In The Red records, they'd release the ENTIRE LABEL is like this.

Cool trick, but "best new music?" Come on. That's just to get people to go to P4K Fest 09 when Vivian Girls undoubtedly take the stage.

Am I the only one that thinks that the beginning of Where Do You Run To sounds a little bit too much like Shadowplay?

I've been digging this for a few months, but it's nothing great.. just a nice 22 minute bit of breezy distant pop. Very Metal was right though, there's tons of this stuff around. I think they're sticking out mostly because they're all-girl and they have some good friends in the indiestry (ahaha). Black Tambourine comparison is apt as well.

I just saw "In the realms of the unreal" (well worth watching again) It inspired me to give this band a chance. Fucked Up has a song called "Vivian Girls" - I want to listen to the lyrics to see if there is any relation.

No kidding. The drumming is absolutely horrendous.

I was told when I saw them that they got a new drummer. So... I guess if that's the reason you didn't like the album, maybe you'll enjoy the live show more. But I didn't enjoy the live show, so... I dunno.

I'm an idiot. Means To An End, not Shadowplay.

I listened to this a couple of times this weekend; I'm warming up to it, but there's no denying that the drumming is atrocious. Mayeb they should re-record it with the new drummer!

Thanks for the info. I know that's a documentary I have to see someday. Let me know if you find a connection with Fucked Up's song.

what do they look like?

'gals with geetars' lol

cant they just be another shitty band without bringing up what gender they are

speaking of not talking about gender... i'll take the one on the right with the big cans, thanks.

new rock crush has begun... what's her name?! i need her name.

the first 7 seconds of this video are pretty cool...

yep, it's true love and i don't even like the record that much. what is her name?

the one on the left looks like the chick from Ace of Cakes

the sassy one

why are you trying to get me to look at the one on the left when there are nice boobies on the right that are much more pleasant to look at?

the middle one sort of looks like superstar actor Jon Heder. But with a wig and some tattoos.

wow, this is pretty good. i must say i have been listening to this for like the whole day, which means two things - i'll probably get pretty tired of it soon, and that chick on the far right has some fantastic boobs.

heard she has at least one bad tattoo

i have at least one to match. this shit is seriously good, the drumming is atrocious, even though it makes sense in the grand scheme of things, it is just impossible to deal with. good tunes all the same. i got a fantastic commission today, so i just stopped working what i was working on and went for a walk listening to this and thinking about that girl's rack. i had a fucking blast.

so im listening to sound opinions podcasts this morning (wut) and they played some vivian girls songs. i always made fun of them just because derek listens to them, but now i kinda feel like i have a reason to not like them. i think its something to hear once and be like 'hey, this is pretty alright' but i think thats why people are so easy to support shitty music. so basically i think it was pretty alright for one listen and one listen only.

and that girl totally does not look like the ace of cakes girl. the ace of cakes girl is far more attractive (yet still not attractive)

VGs playing some khazi in NJ* on NYE according to Pitchfork - with YLT & The Feelies


* Montclair, NJ - Wellmont Theatre
http://www.wellmonttheatre.com/calendar/show/2221/

well shit guyz

Regardless of the tits, I still think this is an immediately pleasurable record that I like to put on in the background to drift with. It also seems like a good record to drink beer to.

i've quite dug the tunes i've heard from this record and am downloading now. tanks!

the drums totally ruin this record. already deleted this...

I really, really like this album.

The sloppy playing totally compliments the sloppy production. I don't care. The melodies are great.

Paves is correct. There are some very good melodies on here. The slop drumming doesn't bother me in the least. And I love drums.

Yeah, there's already so much fucking noise like they're just menstruating through their fuzz boxes instead of playing guitars and the vocals aren't exactly Kate Fucking Bush... that is, until they surprise you with some out of nowhere girl group shit (holy shit, I'm listening to the Fucked Up album right now, is this them on "No Epiphany"? I hope so.) So why do the drums matter so much? She doesn't fuck up or forget what song they're playing or anything. The songs don't demand much more. She's not Brendan Canty or George Hurley and she doesn't need to be.

Plus, how long is it, 21 minutes? Usually 21 minute albums consist of a bunch of hardcore songs that all run together. Not the case with this album for me. "Where Do You Run To" here, "No" there, that first song here, some other song there. Some are speedy punkers, some are slow and Spector-y, and pretty much every one has some distinguishing characteristic that makes for an enjoyable start to finish listen. For a band of seemingly (but not at all, really) incompetent females just kind of bashing away at their instruments, they manage to pack quite a bit into the 21 minutes, sonically and melody-wise.

What can I say. I've bought the hype. I have been underwhelmed by In The Red garage rock bands before, and that just isn't the case with Vivian Girls. They've made a killer album.

plus kickball katy has sweet boobs

well, i guess beyond the drums i didn't really dig the tunes so much either... oh well.

I haven't heard a lick from these chickas but I am going to see them tonight with Times New Viking and Deerhunter (who I saw in Pittsburgh and put on a great show)

I also don't have class tomorrow so this should be a good one.

I think the difference between the tracks I love on this album (esp. "Where Do You Run To" and "Tell the World") and the ones that are catchy but forgettable is that the better ones take much longer to move from tension to rest.