| ⭐⭐⭐✨ |
Meg Remy continues to be one of the pre-eminent poets in the modern class of alternative singer-songwriters, communicating longing and regret in equal measure. Remy’s music has always been somewhat anachronistic, given the mix of vintage and updated that crop up with every release. It’s clear that U.S. Girls is ultimately a musical passion project, wherein Remy can freely explore a range of styles, channeling a myriad of influences into a discography that has now almost taken on a life of its own. If the idea in the past was to assume the form of a chameleon and avoid predictability, then ‘Scratch It’ is easily U.S. Girls’ most clearly-defined album to date. Almost absent is the psychedelia of ‘In A Poem Unlimited’, or the sophisti-pop of ‘Heavy Light’, or even the off-kilter synth-pop of ‘Bless This Mess’. Instead, Meg has opted for musical simplicity, calling back to the glory days of soft rock and blue-eyed soul; think Fleetwood Mac or Carole King.
In terms of songwriting generally, Meg manages to craft a reasonably compelling record, one that attempts to make sense of the relationships in her life, romantically or otherwise. ‘Dear Patti’ is a letter of apology to a friend whose performance she missed due to preoccupations. Whether this is purely metaphorical or not remains to be seen, but a genuine sense of regret underpins the subject matter. It’s inspired by something real. ‘Walking Song’ seems to be an ode to having that one person, someone you can rely on. They carry you, you share songs with them, they’re as close as one gets to a “soulmate”. ‘No Fruit’ closes the record out with a bang, and a bit of a wake-up call. Whoever Meg is addressing, they’re obviously falling short. They have nothing to offer anybody because they’re shallow, they’ve “got no fruit” as it’s put. It’s the most fiery thing this album has to offer, and I’m left to wonder if perhaps it would have benefited from more of this.
This is all without mentioning the very abstract ‘Bookends’. Structurally speaking, it divides itself into two very distinct halves. The stark pace of its first leg in direct contrast to its uptempo second half. Certainly one of the album’s more robust tunes, it makes up for the largely interpretive lyrical content. There might be a religious focus, “Riley was always going on about the Cross and breakin’ it”, but beyond that, my guess on the specifics is as good as the next person’s. It can certainly be tied back to the earlier assertion that this album is an exploration of relationships, and our responsibilities within them. The incredibly danceable grooves are another refreshing change of pace, though it yet again leaves me yearning for more of this.
This album’s lack of musical ambition does hurt it, even if only slightly. Remy would manage to keep you guessing a little bit from track to track in albums gone by, yet there is a one-dimensional aspect to the flow of this record that nags at my enjoyment. Once we hit the midpoint of the album, I’m sort of praying that a serious left-hook is approaching, only to be a tad let down when it’s another rendition of the same, albeit very lovely, vibe. That’s practically the summary of this record, it’s a lot of very pillowy Americana-infused soft rock that shows U.S. Girls in an element that, while it isn’t entirely groundbreaking, feels both different and correct for her at the same time. Rarely does she break out of this mode, opting for comfort and convention. The moments where Meg does diversify are few and far between, but when things do change-up even by a modicum, they actually make for some of the most compelling sections of the album. A B+ for writing and instrumentation, and a D- for variety.
Dan Will Review 