In just 10 days, Vivian Girls' self-titled debut went out of print and sent collectors into a frenzy. Talking to KEXP's Cheryl Waters, the trio says it didn't expect to sell 500 copies of the album, much less sell out. While the Brooklyn band didn't have to travel far to perform at the Gibson Showroom in New York City, this studio session catches Vivian Girls in the midst of what seems like a never-ending tour.
With a twee-pop minimalism covered in fuzzy distortion, Vivian Girls' members sing slightly off-key harmonies with a detached approach that would make Beat Happening smile. The group has a lo-fi aesthetic reminiscent of the trash-punk band Times New Viking, but it looks more to '60s girl groups and the influential yet overlooked twee-pop band Black Tambourine.
In this session recorded for the CMJ Music Festival, Vivian Girls' members perform material from their self-titled debut, as well as the B-side "Second Date," from the upcoming Surf's Up 7".
Copyright 2008 KEXP
