Ya know the way I’m always bleeting on about the delightful band from Idaho named the Very Most? Well, bet you didn’t know that the Very Most’s leadman Jeremy Jensen is none other than Rachael Jensen’s of Parenthetical Girls brother. Small factoids like that keep me happy, sad I know. Anyway, Parenthetical Girls are an off kilter outfit based in Portland that don’t make it easy on would be fans. Aside from their cutesome Christmas tunes I find much of what they produce quite difficult to process. Of course there are moments of (admittedly cloudy) clarity, like on ‘A Song For Ellie Greenwich’ (with its close-to-you Carpenters refrains) where Zac Pennington’s falsetto is bolstered by the brilliantly giddy brass. It’s taken from last year’s ‘Entanglements’ which while critically lauded didn’t succeed on pushing the band beyond it’s own already established boundaries. KD
Parenthetical Girls – A Song For Ellie Greenwich
More Info: Official & Myspace
Buy Songs: Parenthetical Girls
Year: 2008
My favorite P-Girls song, but I love all of Entanglements. It took me a few listens, but I love it. I’m extremely proud of me little sis.
I have to get into these guys cos of so many recommendations. I seem remember the vocal delivery putting me off a little on what I head on myspace. But, that was my first thought on Neutral Milk Hotel waaay back in the day…don’t like the vocals.