God Help the Girl

• God Help the Girl [Matador, 2009] A-
• Stills [Matador, 2009] ***

Consumer Guide Reviews:

God Help the Girl [Matador, 2009]
This being a Stuart Murdoch project, the melodies are strong. But it's fresh recruit Catherine Ireton who makes them lovely. Both are yoked to a story that doesn't cohere, at least not yet--there are reports there's a movie coming. But simply as art about the shaky progress of a young woman making do on the margins of art, it's got character and characters. Intelligent, troubled, plucky, and sad, they're a little too good for the world--but not as much as they think. A-

Stills [Matador, 2009]
Lesser title tracks have anchored lesser EPs than this prematurely deleted outtakes wrap-up ("Stills," "Baby's Just Waiting"). ***