by Kris Handel
Nurture is the debut EP from Chicago based Girly Pants, a release mixed with a sweetness and ear for melodies, full of heart tugging lyrics about the intricacies of relationships and growing up. Sabreen Alfadel is unafraid to get loud and there are some very entertaining guitar riffs along with jazzy shuffles that are full of vitality and a stately cool in the atmosphere. She’s joined by a rhythm section of Theo Hartlett (Ovlov, Pet Fox) and Sean Liljequist who manage to connect and add a layer of depth to these songs that feels ever so comfortable. Girly Pants songs are well constructed and intriguing in structure with a notable flexibility that compliments Alfadel's vocals, swooning and imparting sentiments unafraid to address concerns and feelings with a healthy bite.
"Better" is a bittersweet little pop song of devotion and struggle that has a bit of a more power-pop Elliott Smith type of rhythm to it as guitar lines slice through a rolling shuffle and multi-tracked vocals. Alfadel's vocals carry a simmer to them as a floating keyboard lends queasy foundation that belies the sparkly guitar popping in and out on occasion. "Underwhelmed" is a squiggly tune reminiscent of the vaguely post-punk elements of a band like The Evens as tempos shift and a spooky minimalist approach is breached. Guitar lines squirm around pulsing bass and stop start drum fills as Alfadel's vocals quiver and assert themselves with a spiky force.
With Nurture, Girly Pants have crafted a very interesting introduction for themselves as these songs are lively and leave an impactful imprint. Alfadel's vocals are a flexible weapon and these songs are proficient at building tension and leaving nerves rattling while also being a vehicle to lose yourself in the rhythmic sway. The switches between jangle and a weary moodiness is balanced delicately and allows for a sturdy resolve and toughness to slowly reveal itself in the songwriting. Alfadel and Girly Pants show themselves to be a band that has managed to combine late 90's hard-nosed indie pop with a bit of an early 2010-ish dream-pop approach on a well crafted and quite promising EP.