Girl Scout – “+4” [EP] [Album Review]

Imagine that grunge and indie had a baby. And then that baby was adopted and raised by punk and hard rock. And then the baby grew up and for some reason learned to play the saxophone.

If that musically versatile little weirdo ever started a band, it might sound a little like Brooklyn rockers Girl Scout. These guys just released a 4-song EP called +4 that turns the genre-bending dream above into a reality. Opening track “I Don’t Like It” is the most straightforward song of the bunch, a chill three minutes of grungy crooning and raw, edgy guitar riffs. It’s not bad, just somewhat monotonous and uninteresting.

Fortunately, “Get Yr Dick Hard” is more upbeat and catchy, with Jeremy Zerbe showing off a bit more vocal range. A pleasant surprise comes toward the end, when Brandon Tesh comes in with a jazzy, yet somehow fitting baritone saxophone. “Beware of Dog” is next, a much more aggressive track with a deadly punk edge and an unexpected, killer guitar solo at the end.

“Red Queen March” rounds out the EP and brings us back to the slower pace of “I Don’t Like It.” But this time, you can hear delicious echoes of Stone Temple Pilots and Black Sabbath in the riffs and the pacing. Midway through, the sax rejoins the party with what sounds like an improvised solo. It’s a bit clunky and definitely meandering, but it vibes well with the laid-back feel of the song. Soon it fades into the background as a gritty, almost staticky mixture of sound closes out the track.

Overall, I’m not quite sure what to make of this EP, and maybe that’s a good thing. Each song surprised me in some way, and while I wasn’t left clamoring for more, I definitely felt immersed in a unique, oddly harmonious musical world. And since the whole EP clocks in at under 12 minutes, I think you should absolutely give it a try.

+4 [EP] Track Listing:

01. I Don’t Like It
02. Get Yr Dick Hard
03. Beware of Dog
04. Red Queen March

Run Time: 11:23
Release Date: January 20, 2017

Check out the +4 EP