U.S. Girls: Half Free | Ablum Review

Half Free
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Artist: U.S. Girls
Genre: Alternative
Label: 4AD

Toronto-based, Illinois-born experimental pop songwriter Meghan Remy is an acquired taste; there are songs on Half Free where she gets things just right (Damn that Valley, with its lyric of a soldier's widow's loathing of war) and there are instances where kookiness is just a step too far inside the "experimental" zone.

Certainly, long-term fans of Tune-Yards and Grimes – heck, even St Vincent – will find much to love here, but more recent converts would be wise to wear a pair of sonic wellies in order to safely wade through oddities such as Telephone Play No. 1.

For all of that, there’s something very interesting about Remy.

There are authoritative hints of Brian Eno and David Lynch here, and references to the likes of Grace Jones there. Which, just about, makes Half Free half brilliant.

Tony Clayton-Lea

Tony Clayton-Lea

Tony Clayton-Lea is a contributor to The Irish Times specialising in popular culture