Album Review: What Chaos is Imaginary by Girlpool

The duo's third album is imaginative, but angsty

The third album from alt-rock duo, Girlpool, is what chaos sounds like–– and that’s a good thing.

What Chaos is Imaginary is a whirlwind of crunchy electric guitar riffs, cut-deep lyrics, and beautiful harmonies. Members Harmony Tividad and Cleo Tucker, start strong with “Lucy’s”, a song that will bring listeners back to the sounds of 90s punk. The album continues with what Girlpool does best: creating something new, while remaining relatable and angsty. The songs “All Blacked Out” and “The Hoax and the Shrine” bring mellow breaks in between melodically intense songs like “Stale Device” and “Chemical Freeze”.

What Chaos is Imaginary stays true to the feelings of nostalgia from Girlpool’s earlier albums Power Plant and Before the World Was Big, while demonstrating the band’s musical growth. Indeed, this is album is all the more meaningful, as it is their first release since member Cleo Tucker came out as trans and began taking testosterone, which has lowered his voice to a tenor range. Throughout the album, Tucker’s voice beautifully recits the lyrics with the right amount of angst and emotion; bandmate Harmony Tividad’s airy vocals contrast beautifully with Tucker’s to make for a stunning mixture of harsh tones and light harmonies.

It is important to note the dedication that Tividad and Tucker have towards their music, their fans and each other. They have, yet again. released a piece of art that stands on its own–– an incredibly challenging task. They should be applauded and recognized for this album of imagination, which allows its listeners to gain access to the beautiful chaos that is life.


Emily Erhart

Contributor

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