Last Monday, when Our Girl was performing I really liked it. And the audience did too as they were swinging, smiling and even singing along. They were loving it.
The Brighton-based rock trio, came all the way from the vocalist Soph Nathan’s basement to bring down The Cookie in Leicester as the part of the UK tour. Promoting their debut album Stranger Today, recorded and released by an independent record label Cannibal Hymns.
With Nathan, who you might recognise from Juliette Jackson’s The Big Moon, Josh Tyler (bass) and Lauren Wilson join forces to create the brand-new project – Our Girl.
Since the release of their first single, Sleeper, in 2015, they’ve already played in the USA and were noticed by multiple magazines, including NME or Clash and became known as the fusion of psych-rock with compelling, dreamy vocals.
The opening act, Superego, served a very decent portion of a laid-back, grungy rock that sounded a lot like melancholic yet re-interpreted 90s. Their new singles, Sleep and Black Balloon, are definitely worth checking out while waiting for more. Right after came up-and-coming indie pop/rock band – Buzzard Buzzard Buzzard. Currently on tour supporting Our Girl, Buzzard x3, originally from Cardiff, got the crowd the moving with their energetic vibe, funky sound and thanks to the charismatic and wildly dancing vocalist.
With the dim lights the headliner trio, started straight away with their flagship track, after which the band was named, Our Girl. There was a contrast between the loud, little dirty music and heavenly mellow, but strong when needed, and the vocal is quite unique. After Being Around, starting a relationship/falling in love-themed song, about Soph’s girlfriend, one of the strongest and happiest tracks on the album which I loved. Later we heard an experimental, but pleasant to listen to track – Josephine, with the long instrumental section at the end. Special mention deserves Sub Rosa and I Wish It Was Sunday, both musically gentler than the rest, especially the first one, with touching lyrics. Our Girl created a truly intimate atmosphere in the basement full of strangers. After setting the bar high, they came back to the still magical, but much louder Two Life and then Level, proving that technically there are as good as on the record. Last but one, was In My Head, bit different, less guitar based, the chance for Lauren and Josh to drive it the whole way. The show finished with Boring (which was not boring at all), to come down to the merch (selling tees, CDs, vinyl and tote bags) installed at the back, to give fans a chance to meet them or get something signed.
Our Girl, with their unhurried and free-spirited attitude, does cast a spell, causing the utter submission of the crowd to their one of the kind psych magic.
If you missed it, you’ll still get the chance to see them live on tour in the UK ‘til the end of October.