Frankie Rose has one of the most impressive resumes in indie rock, having been a member of Vivian Girls, Crystal Stilts and Dum Dum Girls. Like her former collaborators, Rose's sound is based upon AM pop melodies and a thick haze of distortion and reverb. Songs like "That's What People Told Me" and the surf-inflected "Girlfriend Island" sit comfortably alongside her past work, pairing punk-ish arrangements with warm harmonies that sound like they were lifted from a '60s girl group. Despite these similarities, the Outs have a softer touch than Rose's past bands ― opener "Hollow Life" is based on little more than a purring organ and distant vocals, while the Arthur Russell cover, "You Can Make Me Feel Bad," stays true to the stripped-down sweetness of the original. With 11 infectious tracks clocking in at under 30 minutes, this is another excellent entry in Rose's already impressive oeuvre.
(Slumberland)Frankie Rose and the Outs
Frankie Rose and the Outs
BY Alex HudsonPublished Sep 21, 2010