Horsegirl: Versions of Modern Performance — Derivative but fun

They met on Chicago’s youth arts scene, but it sounds as if Horsegirl have taken their main influence from across the pond rather than mining the rich musical traditions of their native Windy City. The three teenage best friends — Penelope Lowenstein, Gigi Reece and Nora Cheng — have crafted an album that dabbles in distinctly British sensibilities, perhaps even unwittingly taking their cue from modern acts such as Wolf Alice, 1990s indie bands such as Elastica and shoegaze stalwarts such as The Jesus and Mary Chain (the lyrical nod to Just Like Honey in World of Pots and Pans is no coincidence).

The twangy, fuzzy post-punk opener Anti-glory sets the tone beautifully with its air of woozy, bristling menace; from here on in, the tracklist is a combination of murky, shimmering guitar, cascading, pummelled drums and riffs that flip from scuzzy to serrated across the span of a single song. The influence of acts such as Pavement, The Breeders, The Organ and Interpol undoubtedly play a part here, too.

Yet while there is an abundance of texture and agitated ambience, the songs themselves occasionally seem a little buried in the gloom, while their lyrics (as heard on the nonsensical Homage to Birdnoculars) are underwhelming at best. It sounds as if Horsegirl are still figuring out their own distinctive sound — no great sin for a young band. In the meantime, this is a promising beginning.