by Kris Handel (@khandel84)
Graceful, the debut album from Touch Girl Apple Blossom, is full of delightfully timeless harmonies and a heartful attitude on every song. Olivia Garner’s vocals and rapid guitar strums barrel out of the speakers and hit with a chirpy charm, flowing effortlessly between bouncy, sentimental reveries and moments of resigned melancholy. Named after a lyric from K Records labelmates Beat Happening, Touch Girl Apple Blossom are unafraid to revel in a raucous joy and ramshackle pop nuggets.
TGAP set their stall on full display as opener “Tell” highlights the mellifluous charm of their jumpy, jangling indie-pop. “Vacation” is an elastic bit of funk with fine bass work from Dustin Pilkington, Morales’ choppy guitar interjections add a bright flare and Garner’s strong vocals are pushed a bit more forward in the mix. The jerky flow that happens on “Vacation” highlights the spikier end of Touch Girl Apple Blossom’s approach, showing the band is unafraid to mix up their attack in an equally gratifying manner,
“Dustin’s Song” is full of Charles Powell’s cymbal crashing and rolling drum fills, as Pilkington’s bass intertwines with Garner’s dusky vocals. The band’s tempo jumps around and breaks down at various times before blasting off into a feedback-fueled charge to the finish line.
“You Made Me Do It” is one of the more bittersweet songs on the record, finding the band slightly pulling back and highlighting the ache in Garner’s soft, cooing vocals. The tension of the song is gripping and relatable, as moments of slight hum from the amplifiers adds to the smoldering intrigue that is gloriously playful and teasing.
Touch Girl Apple Blossom have delivered an album that is full of sunshine pop call-backs and a delirious energy that rarely dissipates, creating an atmosphere of bouncy fun and fuzzy warmth. This record is full of determination and a sneakily well thought out approach to pushing their retro-jangle into new dimensions. Each song on Graceful is a jubilant and shining example of power-pop that takes in what came before, but infuses it with new personality and verve that is both exciting and impressively innovative. Graceful is a jangle-pop gem presented in a DIY spirit that is endearing and lovingly crafted. It will be exciting to see the next steps for this eccentric and encouragingly forward-thinking band.