On Half Free, her third release under the pseudonym U.S. Girls, Meghan Remy sounds like a woman coming undone. The album reeks of discord and discontent, cacophonous arrangements collapsing in on themselves as Remy’s radiant voice pierces effortlessly through the mix. The vocals are without a doubt the main attraction on Half Free, as well as the only truly consistent sound on this sonically diverse album.
From the plodding, reggaeton-infused “Damn That Valley” to the chaotic, deep house of “New Age Thriller” on to the straightforward, guitar-centric rock of “Sed Knife,” Remy knocks it out of the park with her catchy-as-hell hooks and vocal acrobatics.
It’s hard to mention vocals, however, without also discussing Remy’s quite competent lyricism. Half Free’s songs take the form of twisted narratives, the kind of songs that Bob Dylan would write if he were a twenty-something experimental indie rock artist with a thing for riot girl-esque feminism and ’80s synth-pop. Half Free is a pop album that you can truly sink your teeth into, as well as one of the most refreshing albums to come out this month.
Recommended If You Like: Deradoorian, Madonna, School of Seven Bells
Recommended Tracks: 3 (Damn That Valley), 6 (New Age Thriller), 7 (Sed Knife)
Do Not Play: None
Written by Thomas Gottstein on 10/29/15