U.S. Girls – In a Poem Unlimited

U.S. Girls – In a Poem Unlimited (4AD) *Editor’s pick

Meg Remy’s approach to music, an idiosyncratic mix of post-punk fury and sultry pop-rock, finally takes shape on her fantastic new album. In a Poem Unlimited is the sound of frustration taking form in a vacuum of pensive meditations. “You’ve been sleeping with one eye open because he always could come back, ya know?” she sings on “Velvet 4 Sale.” This is channelled through a near-transcendental level of lyrical observation. The music shines with the spirit of disco-leaning pop idols like ABBA and Cyndi Lauper, while churning out lyrics informed by skepticism and the delegation of male authority. But these nods act as an aesthetic backdrop to Remy’s more complex compositional ideas. “Time,” the album’s thrilling seven-minute epic, hurls forward an impetus of screeching sax and post-punk dance beats; Remy’s vocals are absolutely commanding among them. The album rages with a cathartic force, pleading for change in a world that refuses to.

Rating: 8.8/10

Trial Track: “Rosebud”

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