There’s a moment in the middle of “123”—the stunning opening track from Girlpool’s new record, Powerplant—that crystallizes the 28 minutes to come. As the second verse draws to a close, crashing drums announce an ambitious step forward for the formerly percussion-less duo. But Harmony Tividad and Cleo Tucker still sing with their signature abandon: “Keep on walking back outside to see a sigh under nice light.”
This line broadcasts Girlpool’s maturing voice, and nestles their sophomore effort firmly between feelings of awe and disappointment. The band’s coming-of-age studio debut, Before the World Was Big, centers on the realization that age is perhaps the only thing you’ll ever have to show for getting older. Powerplant pries open this sentiment, and burrows inside to seek comfort.
Crucial to Girlpool’s charm is the obvious bond between Tividad and Tucker, who met as teenagers in Los Angeles. Now 21 and 20, respectively, their songwriting, performances, and public personas are bolstered by this strong friendship.