NYC's Vivian Girls never made any promises: they didn't swear allegiance to the "lo-fi" sound; they didn't claim they'd never "go pop"; and they didn't denounce dancing. It's in that same vein of snob-snubbery that the all-girl trio's third album, Share the Joy, is released this month to the listening public. Unapologetically melodic, straightforward and confident, the record is a musical reflection of the band's commitment to their musical desires. "So dance, if you wanna," singers Cassie Ramone and Katy Goodman trill merrily on the aptly titled "Dance (If You Wanna)," unabashedly affirming that they couldn't give a shit whether you're in or not; they're making music for themselves and whoever wants to listen is welcome. Their fun-loving conviction is stamped all over Share the Joy, as on the playful call-and-response of "Take It As It Comes." But that's not to say that the band have forgotten their punk-leaning past altogether: the rollicking "Lake House" and gritty, album-closing epic "Light In Your Eyes" demonstrate a simultaneous look back over their shoulders as the Vivian Girls continue to move forward into ever more melodic, pop-infused territory. You're invited to follow, but only if you wanna.
Your first track, "The Other Girls," is indicative of the sound of Share the Joy: a little slower and more confident. Is that a reflection of how you feel, now that you've written a third album and been around for a few years?
Goodman: Yeah, I think so. This one's definitely slower and I think that does have to do with confidence. We have a lot more to say now; we're older, we've been through a lot more in the music world now than we had been when we made the first record. So, we have more to say and we feel more confident saying it. We've earned our right to say we want more, and we're not 22 anymore.
Do you fear any sort of media backlash for moving further away from the "lo-fi" sound with Share the Joy?
Oh, no. We no longer fear media backlash. I think we've already kind of felt it before and even felt the worst of that, in a number of ways. We have very thick skin, at this point, and that's why I was saying we have more confidence. We've been through a lot as a band, so media backlash doesn't really faze us anymore.
(Polyvinyl)Your first track, "The Other Girls," is indicative of the sound of Share the Joy: a little slower and more confident. Is that a reflection of how you feel, now that you've written a third album and been around for a few years?
Goodman: Yeah, I think so. This one's definitely slower and I think that does have to do with confidence. We have a lot more to say now; we're older, we've been through a lot more in the music world now than we had been when we made the first record. So, we have more to say and we feel more confident saying it. We've earned our right to say we want more, and we're not 22 anymore.
Do you fear any sort of media backlash for moving further away from the "lo-fi" sound with Share the Joy?
Oh, no. We no longer fear media backlash. I think we've already kind of felt it before and even felt the worst of that, in a number of ways. We have very thick skin, at this point, and that's why I was saying we have more confidence. We've been through a lot as a band, so media backlash doesn't really faze us anymore.