U.S. Girls - Free Advice Column

Album review by CJLO Magazine contributor Chelsea Woodhouse

Self-taught musician and vocalist, Meghan Remy's Free Advice Column is a four song EP that is courageous in both tone and melody. This brief selection is a collaborative effort between both Remy and Canadian hip-hop producer Onakabazien, who also worked together on the 2011 full-length album U.S. Girls on KraaK.

When played from beginning to end, the listener is confronted with a blend of stirring girl pop on a metal road to somewhere in the fringe. Overall, I get the impression this artist likes first-person narratives. The track "Incidental Boogie" is a story of a departure from the local and a resulting big city transformation. In fact, each of the four songs speaks to certain transformations associated with various sorts of individual human experiences (listen to "28 Days" for references to menstruation).

I believe The Supremes and Queens of the Stone Age may haunt some audiences of this EP. Though nuanced and commercial, these songs do have soul. I am excited to hear what is next from U.S. Girls.

The Free Advice Column EP is available online through the Toronto-based label Bad Actors.

Final rating: 4.5/5