Album Of The Week: Our Girl — Stranger Today
Sophia is back again, for the second week in a row, to bring you our Album of the Week review. Here’s why you should be listening to the debut studio album from Brighton-and-London-based indie trio Our Girl.
To the average listener — the kind that might be prepared to dismiss a further guitar-centric band before giving them a chance — Our Girl might just seem like ‘another’ indie outfit, simultaneously too alternative and yet too generic to be seen as special. But, to those who revel in seeing the thriving scene around up-and-coming British bands, and in hearing what rises out of this sphere, it ought to be common knowledge that Our Girl are one of the groups who, at the moment, are only going from strength to strength. From supporting The Magic Gang on their tour in March, to a set at Tame Impala’s sold-out headline show at London’s Citadel festival, Our Girl are quickly carving their own place in the music scene. They’re making big waves, as well as a big name for themselves. Now, finally, their debut album has arrived, and it’s even more beautiful than I ever expected.
The album opens with the band’s self-titled track, ‘Our Girl’, or what might be described as their ‘sort-of-theme-song’. It’s fitting, and it’s also their most popular track to date. The guitars on the track build, almost instantly, into a wall of sound that crashes down upon you as the song progresses, whilst lead vocalist Soph Nathan’s vocals emerge with their comfortingly serene air to bring it all together. One thing that makes Our Girl special is their harmonised backing vocals that seem to always match so perfectly with their instrumentals. The following track, ‘Being Around’, is one of the best demonstrations of this.
Four tracks in, and ‘I Really Like It’ marks a transition in the album, with the repetitive chorus and simple, recurring guitar melody making for a sweet and slow descent into the next track, ‘Jospehine’. One of the most appealing features of Our Girl’s music is their sometimes piercing, and often fuzzy guitar work, particularly how well it is complemented by Nathan’s vocals. The two work seamlessly together in ‘I Really Like It’, and the touching vocal-delivery and glistening guitar motifs make the song a peaceful break in the track listing.
The drony, shoegaze-y ‘Two Life’ then marks the half-way point, and at eleven tracks long and 45 minutes in run-time, the album’s length seems thoughtfully produced to allow the band’s talent to flourish. Up next is ‘Level’, one of Our Girl’s previously released songs, from 2015, a track that was re-recorded for the album. Normally, re-records leave people preferring the originals, but in the case of this song, the new version allows the freshly polished vocals to shine brighter than they did before, acting as an illustration of the progression and improvement in the band’s abilities.
‘I Wish It Was Sunday’ is a notably eerie track in the listing, largely thanks to Nathan’s vocals — which take a turn towards the dark and haunting — along with some gritty guitar and instrumentals. It seems, recently, that a lot of up-and-coming bands are tending away from the popular four-piece layout — with many being trios, or even duos — but, despite having fewer members, are still producing a sound of equal quality, and sometimes one that is even better than that of their four-piece peers. If you’re in doubt, a listen to the striking moment at the end of this track might change your mind. A sudden break sees the instruments fade away, leaving all three members to harmonise, acapella, creating a point of convergence that seems to symbolise and realise just how well these former Brighton students work together.
The penultimate track on the album, ‘Heat’, timid and acoustic-sounding as it may be, seems to wander with a reassuring warmth. Despite Nathan’s echoing vocals and the main guitar tune both being in minor keys, and even though there’s a feeling of distance about this track, the band maintain their ability to keep a listener feeling safe and involved. Then, the final track on the album, ‘Boring’, completes the work of art and closes the book on Our Girl’s first recorded chapter. By this point, it’s clear that the build-ups that precede the band’s choruses are a specialty of theirs, and this last song is one final, triumphant show of that fact. The vocals end around half way through, and what’s left of the album is completed with instrumentals alone — a clever idea that showcases Our Girl’s musical talent one last time.
‘Stranger Today’ ought to ensure that Our Girl are no longer strangers to any self-respecting indie-lover— they have well and truly landed. With their strong bond both on and off the stage, they are sure to only get bigger and better. Now boasting a resilient debut album to their name — one that provides all that could be asked from an indie rock band — Soph Nathan,
Josh Tyler, and Lauren Wilson are certainly ready to pave their way and stay in this business.
If you were a stranger to Our Girl up until this review, but liked what you read and heard, keep your eyes peeled for their festival and tour dates. We’re pretty sure that you’ll want to catch them live sooner, rather than later.
The band set off on their biggest tour yet in October. Dates and tickets are available here.
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