Parenthetical Girls

Has there been a generation of 20-somethings secretly raised on costume dramas? Zac Pennington is one such young man, with an interesting record collection, quirky and talented musical comrades, and a foppish vocal persona that all combine for high-collared good times. The Girls started off as a bedroom project (then Swastika instead of Parenthetical) bent on fusing Brian Eno and Phil Spector, borrowing help from members of Xiu Xiu, who are masters of this technique. The ongoing alchemy has yielded a new four-piece touring group and a sound that has absorbed Eno and Spector, as well as subtle dashes of Smiths, ’70s AM rock and Van Dyke Parks, along the way. Despite the high functioning orchestration, Entanglements never becomes overwrought, the Rodgers and Hart dazzle cut with real heart. For every grand, swaying "Avenue of Trees” there is a smaller scaled "Gut Symmetries” that’s plucked with violins or ukuleles and toy xylophones. For every oboe/harpsichord puffy sleeve tugger like "Young Eucharists” there is a "Windmills of Your Mind” that prances like a chanson that’s half "Seasons in the Sun,” half Charles Aznavour. If you can put aside your nü skinny ties for a little bit, you’ll see how old wave can be new wave too.