by Dan Goldin (@post_trash_)
All Boy/All Girl are not your typical band... and they don't want to be. The New York based septet (yep... there's seven of them, and yes, they're named after an Arthur Russell song) create avant-garde pop that's built around acoustic arrangements, harmonized vocals, and a knack for pretty epic songwriting. Sure it's a bit theatrical, but it's an honest theatricality that comes from pushing the boundaries of "what a rock band is" into their own world of genuine orchestral folk, chamber pop, and jazz influenced indie. This is pop music with a DIY punk spirit. Beautiful melodies sit side by side with soaring orchestration, haunting vocals, and subtle virtuosity that swirls over the top while pulling you deeper in. Earlier this year the band released Trophy via Grind Select and have since followed it with b-sides and remixes that have shown the band won't be pigeonholed and they're merely getting started.
We're excited to premiere a live performance of "Not It," one of Trophy's stand out moments. There's something pretty damn remarkable about seeing the band pull off their songs live and while this is just a small preview of their charm, it's definitely worth a watch. The song opens with a staccato string and drums rhythm before gradually blooming into an epic indie pop song. The refrain is a nod to the famous T.S. Elliot poem 'The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock" Captured at the band's recent Mercury Lounge performance, the gorgeous harmonies fits perfectly with the vibrant instrumentation.
All Boy/All Girl will play Brooklyn Bowl on Monday, December 7th with Coastgaard and Second Child. More info is available here.
Speaking about the song, All Boy/All Girl elaborated, "The themes in the song are a sort of commentary on consumerist culture. The lyrics ask the question of whether or not material items can bring somebody happiness, which is answered rather directly. The lyrics are an off kilter parallel to the T.S. Elliot poem "The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock" which is nodded to with the refrain "That's not it. That's not what I meant at all."