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U.S. Girls isn't as much a band as an ever-mutating organism. Begun by experimental songwriter Meg Remy in the late 2000s as a noisy solo act backed by reel-to-reel tapes, the project grew into a monolith of larger-than-life pop. 2018's In a Poem Unlimited was one of Remy's finest moments, with her polymathic songwriting bending disco-funk, glam rock, and ambient composition into new forms. Heavy Light expands on the colorful complexities of In a Poem Unlimited, with Remy dipping her toes in different styles on almost every song but retaining the experimental intensity that has always been at the core of U.S. Girls. Album opener "Four American Dollars" juxtaposes a light, summery soul instrumental with lyrics about destitution, poverty, and the inevitability of death. It's one of several moments on the album where Remy is joined by a host of powerful backing vocalists, a technique that's been flirted with on previous albums but is utilized to its fullest on these songs. This shows up in the form of girl group melodrama on eerie, beautiful songs like "IOU" and "Denise, Don't Wait" and theatrical synth-heavy glam rock on "The Quiver to the Bomb." The brief spoken interludes that showed up a few times on In a Poem Unlimited are swapped out here with several similar pieces, this time various voices stacked on top of each other answering survey questions about childhood memories. These interludes underscore themes of nostalgia and painfully looking back that become central to Heavy Light. "Woodstock '99" mulls over a stream of melancholic younger memories over a syrupy lite rock instrumental borrowed from late-'60s AM radio hit "MacArthur Park." Looking back also takes the form of several songs revisited from the U.S. Girls back catalog being reworked to various degrees of reinvention. Album standout "Overtime" takes on new life with the dramatic emphasis of newly added backing vocals, and album closer "Red Ford Radio," originally a dark smear of distorted vocals and looped drums on 2010's Go Grey, becomes a shockingly clear statement of fear and intensity. Remy takes a personal inventory throughout Heavy Light, sometimes contemplating the present but oftentimes remembering or returning to different threads from the past. It's another huge step forward for the uncontainable U.S. Girls organism, one that skillfully combines the immediacy of personal memories with Remy's uncanny ability to inject her singular creative voice into every sound she touches.
© Fred Thomas /TiVo
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Richard Morel, StudioMusician - Steve Chahley, MixingEngineer - U.S. Girls, MainArtist - Howard Bilerman, Engineer, StudioMusician - Rob Power, StudioMusician - SESAC, MusicPublisher - Basia Bulat, StudioMusician - Downtown Music Publishing, MusicPublisher - Meg Remy, Producer, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - Rich Morel, Composer - Geordie Gordon, StudioMusician - Maximilian Turnbull, StudioMusician - Amanda Crist, StudioMusician - Mano Walker LLC, MusicPublisher - Daniel Morphy, StudioMusician - James Baley, StudioMusician - Dorothea Paas, StudioMusician - Shae Brossard, Engineer - Kritty Uranowski, MusicPublisher, StudioMusician - Marika Galea, StudioMusician - Ed Squire, StudioMusician - Hipgnosis Songs Group, MusicPublisher
2020 4AD Ltd 2020 4AD Ltd
Mark Roberts, Composer - Steve Chahley, MixingEngineer - Tim Kingsbury, StudioMusician - U.S. Girls, MainArtist - Howard Bilerman, Engineer - Rob Power, StudioMusician - Socan, MusicPublisher - James Bailey, MusicPublisher - Basia Bulat, Composer, MusicPublisher, StudioMusician - Jake Clemons, AssociatedPerformer - Meg Remy, Producer, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - Michael Rault, StudioMusician - Geordie Gordon, StudioMusician - Amanda Crist, StudioMusician - Mano Walker LLC, MusicPublisher - Daniel Morphy, StudioMusician - James Baley, AssociatedPerformer - Dorothea Paas, StudioMusician - Shae Brossard, Engineer - Kritty Uranowski, StudioMusician - Marika Galea, StudioMusician - Louis Percival, MusicPublisher - Ed Squire, StudioMusician - Hipgnosis Songs Group, MusicPublisher
2020 4AD Ltd 2020 4AD Ltd
Richard Morel, StudioMusician - Steve Chahley, MixingEngineer - U.S. Girls, MainArtist - Howard Bilerman, Engineer - Rob Power, StudioMusician - SESAC, MusicPublisher - Basia Bulat, StudioMusician - Downtown Music Publishing, MusicPublisher - Meg Remy, Producer, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - Rich Morel, Composer - Geordie Gordon, StudioMusician - Mano Walker LLC, MusicPublisher - Daniel Morphy, StudioMusician - Dorothea Paas, StudioMusician - Shae Brossard, Engineer - Kassie Richardson, StudioMusician - Kritty Uranowski, StudioMusician - Ed Squire, StudioMusician - Hipgnosis Songs Group, MusicPublisher
2020 4AD Ltd 2020 4AD Ltd
Steve Chahley, MixingEngineer - Tim Kingsbury, StudioMusician - U.S. Girls, MainArtist - Howard Bilerman, Engineer, StudioMusician - Basia Bulat, StudioMusician - Meg Remy, Producer, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - Michael Rault, StudioMusician - Amanda Crist, StudioMusician - Mano Walker LLC, MusicPublisher - James Baley, StudioMusician - Dorothea Paas, StudioMusician - Shae Brossard, Engineer - Kassie Richardson, StudioMusician - Kritty Uranowski, StudioMusician - Marika Galea, StudioMusician - Hipgnosis Songs Group, MusicPublisher
2020 4AD Ltd 2020 4AD Ltd
Steve Chahley, MixingEngineer - Tim Kingsbury, StudioMusician - U.S. Girls, MainArtist - Howard Bilerman, Engineer - Rob Power, StudioMusician - Socan, MusicPublisher - Basia Bulat, StudioMusician - Meg Remy, Producer, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - Geordie Gordon, StudioMusician - Maximilian Turnbull, Composer - Amanda Crist, StudioMusician - Mano Walker LLC, MusicPublisher - Daniel Morphy, StudioMusician - James Baley, StudioMusician - Dorothea Paas, StudioMusician - Shae Brossard, Engineer - Kritty Uranowski, StudioMusician - Ed Squire, StudioMusician - Micheal Rault, StudioMusician - Hipgnosis Songs Group, MusicPublisher
2020 4AD Ltd 2020 4AD Ltd
Steve Chahley, MixingEngineer - Tim Kingsbury, StudioMusician - ASCAP, MusicPublisher - U.S. Girls, MainArtist - Howard Bilerman, Engineer - Rob Power, StudioMusician - Basia Bulat, MusicPublisher, StudioMusician - Meg Remy, Producer, AssociatedPerformer - Geordie Gordon, StudioMusician - Amanda Crist, StudioMusician - Daniel Morphy, StudioMusician - James Baley, StudioMusician - Jack Name, Lyricist - Dorothea Paas, StudioMusician - Shae Brossard, Engineer - Cymatic Life Publishing, MusicPublisher - Kritty Uranowski, StudioMusician - Marika Galea, StudioMusician - Ed Squire, StudioMusician - Micheal Rault, StudioMusician - Hipgnosis Songs Group, MusicPublisher
2020 4AD Ltd 2020 4AD Ltd
Richard Morel, StudioMusician - Steve Chahley, MixingEngineer - U.S. Girls, MainArtist - Howard Bilerman, Engineer - Rob Power, StudioMusician - SESAC, MusicPublisher - Basia Bulat, StudioMusician - Downtown Music Publishing, MusicPublisher - Meg Remy, Producer, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - Rich Morel, Composer - Evan Cartwright, StudioMusician - Mano Walker LLC, MusicPublisher - Doug Poplin, StudioMusician - Daniel Morphy, StudioMusician - Shae Brossard, Engineer - Kassie Richardson, Composer, MusicPublisher, StudioMusician - Ed Squire, StudioMusician - Hipgnosis Songs Group, MusicPublisher
2020 4AD Ltd 2020 4AD Ltd
Steve Chahley, MixingEngineer - Tim Kingsbury, StudioMusician - U.S. Girls, MainArtist - Howard Bilerman, Engineer, StudioMusician - Basia Bulat, StudioMusician - Meg Remy, Producer, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - Amanda Crist, StudioMusician - Mano Walker LLC, MusicPublisher - James Baley, StudioMusician - Dorothea Paas, StudioMusician - Shae Brossard, Engineer - Kassie Richardson, StudioMusician - Kritty Uranowski, StudioMusician - Marika Galea, StudioMusician - Micheal Rault, StudioMusician - Hipgnosis Songs Group, MusicPublisher
2020 4AD Ltd 2020 4AD Ltd
Richard Morel, StudioMusician - Steve Chahley, MixingEngineer - U.S. Girls, MainArtist - Howard Bilerman, Engineer - Rob Power, StudioMusician - Basia Bulat, Composer, MusicPublisher, StudioMusician - Meg Remy, Producer, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - Maximilian Turnbull, Composer - Mano Walker LLC, MusicPublisher - Doug Poplin, StudioMusician - Daniel Morphy, StudioMusician - Dorothea Paas, StudioMusician - Shae Brossard, Engineer - Kritty Uranowski, StudioMusician - Marika Galea, StudioMusician - Ed Squire, StudioMusician - Hipgnosis Songs Group, MusicPublisher
2020 4AD Ltd 2020 4AD Ltd
Jimmy Webb, ComposerLyricist - Steve Chahley, MixingEngineer - U.S. Girls, MainArtist - Howard Bilerman, Engineer - Rob Power, StudioMusician - Socan, MusicPublisher - SESAC, MusicPublisher - Basia Bulat, Composer, MusicPublisher, StudioMusician - Meg Remy, Producer, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - Harry Fox Agency, MusicPublisher - Rich Morel, Composer - Universal Polygram International Publishing, Inc. (ASCAP), MusicPublisher - Mano Walker LLC, MusicPublisher - Daniel Morphy, StudioMusician - UMGP, MusicPublisher - Dorothea Paas, Composer, MusicPublisher, StudioMusician - Shae Brossard, Engineer - Kassie Richardson, StudioMusician - Marika Galea, StudioMusician - Ed Squire, StudioMusician - Micheal Rault, StudioMusician - Hipgnosis Songs Group, MusicPublisher
2020 4AD Ltd 2020 4AD Ltd
Steve Chahley, MixingEngineer - Tim Kingsbury, StudioMusician - U.S. Girls, MainArtist - Howard Bilerman, Engineer, StudioMusician - Basia Bulat, StudioMusician - Meg Remy, Producer, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - Amanda Crist, StudioMusician - Mano Walker LLC, MusicPublisher - James Baley, StudioMusician - Dorothea Paas, StudioMusician - Shae Brossard, Engineer - Kassie Richardson, StudioMusician - Kritty Uranowski, StudioMusician - Marika Galea, StudioMusician - Micheal Rault, StudioMusician - Hipgnosis Songs Group, MusicPublisher
2020 4AD Ltd 2020 4AD Ltd
Richard Morel, StudioMusician - Steve Chahley, MixingEngineer - Tim Kingsbury, StudioMusician - U.S. Girls, MainArtist - Howard Bilerman, Engineer - Rob Power, StudioMusician - SESAC, MusicPublisher - Basia Bulat, StudioMusician - Downtown Music Publishing, MusicPublisher - Meg Remy, Producer, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - Rich Morel, Composer - Geordie Gordon, StudioMusician - Amanda Crist, StudioMusician - Mano Walker LLC, MusicPublisher - Doug Poplin, StudioMusician - Daniel Morphy, StudioMusician - James Baley, StudioMusician - Dorothea Paas, StudioMusician - Shae Brossard, Engineer - Kassie Richardson, StudioMusician - Kritty Uranowski, StudioMusician - Ed Squire, StudioMusician - Micheal Rault, StudioMusician - Hipgnosis Songs Group, MusicPublisher
2020 4AD Ltd 2020 4AD Ltd
Steve Chahley, MixingEngineer - U.S. Girls, MainArtist - Howard Bilerman, Engineer - Rob Power, StudioMusician - Meg Remy, Producer, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - Mano Walker LLC, MusicPublisher - Daniel Morphy, StudioMusician - Shae Brossard, Engineer - Kassie Richardson, StudioMusician - Ed Squire, StudioMusician - Hipgnosis Songs Group, MusicPublisher
2020 4AD Ltd 2020 4AD Ltd
Album review
U.S. Girls isn't as much a band as an ever-mutating organism. Begun by experimental songwriter Meg Remy in the late 2000s as a noisy solo act backed by reel-to-reel tapes, the project grew into a monolith of larger-than-life pop. 2018's In a Poem Unlimited was one of Remy's finest moments, with her polymathic songwriting bending disco-funk, glam rock, and ambient composition into new forms. Heavy Light expands on the colorful complexities of In a Poem Unlimited, with Remy dipping her toes in different styles on almost every song but retaining the experimental intensity that has always been at the core of U.S. Girls. Album opener "Four American Dollars" juxtaposes a light, summery soul instrumental with lyrics about destitution, poverty, and the inevitability of death. It's one of several moments on the album where Remy is joined by a host of powerful backing vocalists, a technique that's been flirted with on previous albums but is utilized to its fullest on these songs. This shows up in the form of girl group melodrama on eerie, beautiful songs like "IOU" and "Denise, Don't Wait" and theatrical synth-heavy glam rock on "The Quiver to the Bomb." The brief spoken interludes that showed up a few times on In a Poem Unlimited are swapped out here with several similar pieces, this time various voices stacked on top of each other answering survey questions about childhood memories. These interludes underscore themes of nostalgia and painfully looking back that become central to Heavy Light. "Woodstock '99" mulls over a stream of melancholic younger memories over a syrupy lite rock instrumental borrowed from late-'60s AM radio hit "MacArthur Park." Looking back also takes the form of several songs revisited from the U.S. Girls back catalog being reworked to various degrees of reinvention. Album standout "Overtime" takes on new life with the dramatic emphasis of newly added backing vocals, and album closer "Red Ford Radio," originally a dark smear of distorted vocals and looped drums on 2010's Go Grey, becomes a shockingly clear statement of fear and intensity. Remy takes a personal inventory throughout Heavy Light, sometimes contemplating the present but oftentimes remembering or returning to different threads from the past. It's another huge step forward for the uncontainable U.S. Girls organism, one that skillfully combines the immediacy of personal memories with Remy's uncanny ability to inject her singular creative voice into every sound she touches.
© Fred Thomas /TiVo
About the album
- 1 disc(s) - 13 track(s)
- Total length: 00:37:29
- Main artists: U.S. Girls
- Composer: Various Composers
- Label: 4AD
- Genre: Pop/Rock Rock Alternative & Indie
2020 4AD Ltd 2020 4AD Ltd
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