“Instantly it’s very clear why these girls produce such an amazing sound – they have a perfect harmony between them which became very clear during the interview.”
That’s what we wrote last year when we met with Sinead, Larissa, Carolyn (totally spelled it right this time Carolyn :P) and Louise, sat in their apartment in the heart of Limerick City, truth be told we sort of overwhelmed by the band. They know what they want, where they want to go and their determination to reach the top was clear from the start but they were and are under no illusion of the process. Forming a band is pretty easy, stick an advert up online and a callout for members, you might even find it easy to get a few songs together… breaking out there is not an easy thing to do but there is no point in going the whole way if you haven’t got the sound!
Very Angry Girls have carved out their own path and with it they have managed to mash together one highly addictive sound! With dozens of gigs under their belts including a spot at Europe’s first LGBT festival as well as playing at @rcadeCon this year (with all four girls dressed as Tank Girl!!!), we now have the chance to sit down and check out their EP featuring three tracks: Red Balloon, Smyths Song and Safety Pin Grin.
“Its punk pop but each instrument or performer has their own thing going on and it just comes together so well.” – Larissa/Drummer
We threw the CD into our old stereo and half listened while we mashed the buttons on a PS3 Controller and screamed at the television but soon found it all drowned out by the girls’ music. That was a big big BIG mistake on our part, Larissa wasn’t exaggerating when she said the four piece seem to all do their own thing but it somehow comes together – listening to it in a CD player is all well and good but you’re depriving yourself of a treat if you don’t throw on a pair of headphones and listen to every note, beat and lyric, you miss out on so much subtle pieces to the music but upon discovering them you quickly realise that these are the life behind the sound.
We’ll get to the lead vocals in a moment but it was on our first run through with a decent pair of headphones that we actually heard the backing vocals provided by Carolyn on Red Balloon that had us wringing with goosebumps – coarse but smooth, deep and powerful, their subtlety is the perfect backdrop to Sinead who sings with a youthful passion and serious energy.
Sinead Mitchell – Lead Singer (Photographer Unknown)
Red Balloon is a feast ready to be picked apart by eager little music junkies such as ourselves! Larissa if you’re reading this… your drumming is a beat we could live our entire lives to! The sound is pure punk pop without the bullsh*t! None of the crap peddled to teenage punks who believe punk is a green Mohawk and a spiky wristband! Grungy guitar, heavy drums, intoxicating bass coupled with the siren-like voice of Sinead Mitchell – this is punk pop at it’s very best and if you think we enjoyed Red Balloon we haven’t even started on our favourite track from the EP – Smyths Song.
This is where, in our humble opinion, Sinead shines the most! Smyths Song follows directly after Red Balloon with the tracks blending well into each other. There is something in her voice, something that is not very easy to explain but it’s a combination of a lot of things, her passion and energy, obviously talent but there is something that sounds innocent in her voice which is a perfect juxtaposition to the heavy and jarring guitar, there is something in her voice when singing this song that reminds us of an early Dolores O’Riordan but we’re not about to compare VAG to the Cranberries (two very different sounds!)
VAG playing at EP launch – Photograph by Mac Attack
The EP concludes with Safety Pin Grin (a copy of which we own… signed by the band….jealous?) this is the pièce de résistance on the EP – infectious, insanely catchy, it is the perfect track for the EP to end on as you are left only wanting more and more!
If the three tracks are any indication of what these four young women can produce then they need to get their album together fast! We don’t just want more…we need more! Very Angry Girls have managed to capture all the best elements of true punk music but rather than emulate, they have carved their own sound in the genre. If you are looking for something with edge, grunge, energy and something to just soak up and enjoy then get this EP!
You can listen to all of the tracks off the Red Balloon EP over on the band’s MySpace page!
Be sure to check out the Very Angry Girls Facebook page to keep up to date on all things VAG related!
