Listen to Girlpool’s drum-heavy new song “123,” see them at Union Transfer in June

Girlpool | photo by Molly Matalon | courtesy of the artist

When the LA-bred indiepop duo Girlpool captivated the DIY scene a couple years ago, it had as much to do with their remarkably strong songs as with their compelling minimalism. Cleo Tucker and Harmony Tividad could hold an entire room in rapt attention with simply a guitar, a bass and their two harmonizing voices. It was such a strength that there was a minor stir when the band – gasp! – added drums during a live show a year and some ago.

Today, we get the first taste of what “full-band” Girlpool sounds like in a new song called “123”…but let’s stop there for a second and just point out that they were always a full band, and that a band needn’t be defined by some sort of arbitrary instrumental checklist. It’d be more accurate to say that this is the sound of Girlpool, with drums, in a studio setting, and it sounds terrific, giving “123” a soaring energy at the one minute mark while still retaining the honesty and fearless vulnerability that made us connect with the band in the first place.

The song seems to be about emotional discomfort, a hesitancy to embrace hapiness amidst trouble — or vice versa, perhaps: “1, 2, 3, will you list it off to me / how you’re sorry you feel weird in a jubilation dream, how you’re sorry about the low.” It comes from the band’s sophomore album Powerplant – which reportedly will largely be a Girlpool-with-drums affiar — which comes out May 12th on Anti- Records. Pre-orders are available here, “123” can be heard in the video below — a kind of perplexing visual with an uncomfortable Tucker spitting up green paint — and Girlpool can be seen at Union Transfer on June 10th. Tickets to the all ages show are available on Friday, March 10th, more information can be found at the XPN Concert Calendar.

Tracklist
1. 123
2. Sleepless
3. Corner Store
4. Your Heart
5. Kiss and Burn
6. Fast Dust
7. Powerplant
8. High Rise
9. Soup
10. She Goes By
11. It Gets More Blue
12. Static Somewhere

Tour Dates
5/23 – Los Angeles, CA @ Teragram Ballroom
5/24 – San Francisco, CA @ The Chapel
5/25 – Portland, OR @ Mississippi Studios
5/26 – Seattle, WA @ Neumos
5/27 – Vancouver, BC @ The Biltmore
5/31 – Minneapolis, MN @ 7th Street Entry
6/1 – Iowa City, IA @ The Mill
6/2 – Chicago, IL @ Empty Bottle
6/4 – Detroit, MI @ El Club
6/5 – Toronto, ON @ Horseshoe Tavern
6/6 – Montreal, QC @ Bar Le Ritz PDB
6/7 – Boston, MA @ Brighton Music Hall
6/9 – Brooklyn, NY @ Warsaw
6/10 – Philadelphia, PA @ Union Transfer
6/11 – Washington, DC @ Rock + Roll Hotel
6/13 – Durham, NC @ The Pinhook
6/14 – Atlanta, GA @ The Masquerade (Hell Stage)
6/15 – New Orleans, LA @ Republic
6/16 – Houston, TX @ Walter’s
6/17- Austin, TX @ Barracuda
6/20 – Phoenix, AZ @ Rebel Lounge
6/21 – San Diego, CA @ Che Cafe
6/22 – Pomona, CA @ The Glass House