Katy Guillen & The Girls
self release
11 songs time-46:39
At first glance the line-up of Katy Guillen & The Girls looked like it would be a power trio featuring a guitar “wanker”, when happily it is no such thing. It is so much more. The music and the lyrical content are more well though out and go deeper. At times the power trio vibe is there, but there are more diverse dynamics at work here. Katy is one solid guitarist and she is ably assisted by Claire Adams on bass and vocals and Stephanie Williams on drums, along with some occasional outside help. They aren’t good for an all-girl band, they are just plain flat out good. Katy’s vocals possess a toughness that belie a cock-sure confidence. A big plus for me is that you can clearly understand the words, the girls don’t sink to the heavy metal device of slurring through the lyrics. The all original songs receive diverse arrangements and interesting tempo changes. This music is surely worthy of a serious listen.
A Stevie Ray Vaughn guitar rhythm drives the jaunty “Don’t Get Bitter”, as it showcases the bands’ musical dexterity. All the instruments are crisply recorded as the song just zips along, clocking in at two minutes. Estranged best friends are the subject of the nicely heavy “Old Best Friend”. The band is tight and in-sync. “Woke Up In Spain” is a daydream about a new love. The music here is catchy and seamless. Trippy and mystical lyrics aptly infuse “Stalling On Dreams”, a song that is at once slow and heavy.
I don’t know if it is intentional or not, but Robin Trower’s musical stamp is all over “Gabriela”, from its’ float-y and mellow guitar that morphs into some bluesy soloing, right down to the title. An easy going blues-rock song is “Think Twice”, a tale of recapturing a lost love. “quiver” begins its’ life slowly and deliberately, then perks up as it gets more intense as a guitar solo builds up to a ferocious crescendo.
The narrator bemoans the fact that she can never replace her current love in no uncertain terms in “If You Were Gone”. “Don’t Turn Your Back” employs a pounding rhythm that is catchy as all-get-out along with a nifty wah-wah solo. The rat race of life is touched on in “The Race”, a song that contains one of the bands’ trademark heavy riffs. The mysterious and earnest “Earth Angel” closes out the proceedings.
There is much enjoyment to be had here for the open-minded music lover. All three band members deliver the goods to propel the music along. The lyrics, production and arrangements were obviously well thought out. Nothing is an afterthought here. Rock energy and musical nuance are everywhere to be found. These girls are going places…good places.
