L.A born, Philadelphia-based duo, Girlpool, bring their minimalist, introspective punk to Australia this January for Sydney Festival and headline shows in Melbourne and Brisbane.

Made up of Cleo Tucker (Guitar) and Harmony Tividad (Bass), Girlpool met at local DIY venue the Smell, the two quickly grew very close. The pair bonded over the lack of female presence in the music scene, and feeling undervalued as performers. “It’s like people expect that girls are not as musically competent,” Tividad told L.A. Weekly. “I was sick of being shoved to the side.”

Their sound is comprised only of a guitar, bass and vocal harmonies. The band uses this bare bones instrumentation to accentuate their vulnerable yet powerful lyrics to create honest pieces, tackling concepts ranging from awareness and respect to the simple feeling of being alone at a show. These stripped back, raw compositions and candid lyrics quickly charmed crowds and made them the toast of SXSW and CMJ. The pair were signed to Wichita Recordings, who released their debut album ‘Before The World Was Big’ in June.

The result is one of the year’s most outstandingly idiosyncratic LPs. AllMusic hailed the album for its “risky and appealingly human songs,” whilst NME exclaimed “this brilliant half-hour of punky Americana is a chance to read the journals of the coolest kids in town.”

Girlpool will be supported in Melbourne by Summer Flake (aka. Stephanie Crase), whose EP ‘Time Rolls By’ was released earlier this month on Rice Is Nice Records. Tempered with timeless reverb and blissful vulnerability, Summer Flake oscillates between wonder and sorrow on any given note.

GIRLPOOL (USA)

Brisbane 
Saturday 23 January
The Brightside

Sydney 
Tuesday 26 January
The Famous Spiegeltent, Sydney Festival

Melbourne
Wednesday 27 January
The Reverence Hotel
(with special guest Summer Flake)

Tickets on sale at: handsometours.com