Meet Girl Nobody

Look what we've got
A guitar keyboard and a chore
To create our art
To love it breathe it and to flow right from the start

So sings Marta Jaciubek-McKeever from the Canadian band Girl Nobody in their song Two Left Shoes. To create, love, breathe and flow, and so the band does in their sophomore release Balaclava Casino Heist which came out last week through Jericho Beach Music. The band has been on hiatus for several years but has regrouped to produce a follow up to their 2004 debut.

I'll first say that it's hard to put your finger on the band's style. The album begins with the title track (offered below) which is a fast tempo, electronic sort of get up and rave sort of experience that gets you ready for a Bjork meets Moby sort of album, which it absolutely is not. The album slows down somewhat with tracks two and three, I'll Shake It and Sniffin' Glue, but there's still that edge of danceability to it. When you reach the middle of the album, things really come down a few notches, but that electronic element remains which reminds me of Portishead, although I would qualify that statement by saying Marta's voice is not nearly so gloomy as Beth Gibbons.

Just as you're getting comfortable with the direction you think the album has settled into, you get to Grandfather, track 9. I have to say that this song just doesn't quite fit. I wouldn't say it's a bad song, it's just out of place. It's the one track with a male vocalist (not sure which of the band members) and it's texture just doesn't flow like the other ten tracks. It's followed by an instrumental piece (one which feels more at home than the previous track), and then what I would call an acoustic hula ditty with Marta back at the microphone that reminds me of the Squirrel Nut Zippers.

I know it looks like the album is a mish-mosh of styles and sounds, but it flows well (except maybe track 9). Try the first track below, and then get the rest of the album to see for yourself.


Girl Nobody - Balaclava Casino Heist : Balaclava Casino Heist

Visit their website, their label Jericho Beach Music, and become their friend on MySpace.

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Moby - Hymn (This Is My Dream) : Hymn (CD E.P.#1)

Portishead - Mourning Air : Help: A Charity Project For The Children Of Bosnia

Squirrel Nut Zippers - Lover's Lane (live) : Live from 6A