There’s been a lot of excitement surrounding Girl Ray throughout 2017 and not the kind of buzz that turns out to be some blown up brief period of fame either. It’s the thrill of finding a genuinely brilliant new band, teamed with the excitement that a huge chunk of people are going to be there from the beginning. There’s been a lot of albums that I’ve gotten initially rosey about only for my enthusiasm to die down. I’ve had the time to properly digest Earl Grey now and I still maintain there’s a certain kind of magic to it.

There’s something really captivating about Earl Grey. It doesn’t give up all its riches immediately but there are a lot of stand out elements there and the songs have more to give over repeated listens. The brilliance of the album lies in the subtleties. Girl Ray juggle being a lo-fi band and a pop band very well. For me, what they do with the vocals is really special. The staccato chorus on ‘Just Like That’ is a delight. Poppy Hankin’s vocal sounds very similar to The Big Moon’s Juliette Jackson, however she uses her voice in a completely different way.

Girl Ray have said the themes of the album are quite melancholic. Lyrics are journal-like outpourings about friendships and breakups. However, whilst there is a slightly grey theme throughout the album, there’s a certain beauty to it. Because the songs are very truthful, there’s a real feeling of getting past things and moving on. You can almost hear these experiences being dealt with, like a weight being taken off your shoulders.

The really brilliant thing about the album is its minimalism, which is only on the surface. ‘Stupid Things’ is a really good example of it. It doesn’t feel incomplete by any means, but it does feel like there’s something underlying which isn’t brought out to the surface. I think this is why it can be an uneasy listen but it’s also the same thing that will keep people coming back to the album.

‘Preacher’ is a track that really divides the album. Yes, it sits directly in the middle but it works perfectly to change the flow of the second half. The songs from here are a little looser and feel a little freer. There’s an extended bridge on ‘Preacher’ which ends the song and it introduces the ideas for the second half very well.

Title track ‘Earl Grey (Stuck in a Groove)’ is the band’s longest and most exploratory song. At 13 minutes it can be a bit of a gamble sticking that way in the middle of an album. It pays off really well and is a highly accomplished piece of music. With longer songs that break the ten minute barrier there’s always a risk that it’ll sound like several different songs instead of one piece. Not so in this case; it’s beautiful and melancholic and demonstrates how clever a band Girl Ray are.

‘Ghosty’ and ‘Waiting Ages’ close off the album perfectly, in particular ‘Waiting Ages’ which strangely sounds like a goodbye. The lead guitar on here is really gentle and works very well within the sparse Girl Ray sound. Again it’s the vocal on the track which makes it for me, together with a pleasingly messy chord progression. The imperfections or the untidiness of it is what makes Girl Ray’s music so enjoyable. ‘Stupid Things (Reprise)’ is something I really love on the album. It starts as a simple piano-led run through of the song and turns into something else entirely, coming across as almost off the cuff.

In terms of describing the album I would say it is perfectly imperfect, sweet and subtle. There’s not much to find fault with although the album is perhaps a little long. It won’t seem like much on a first listen, but the more you delve into it, the more you will be rewarded. As a debut from a very young band, Earl Grey is understated, clever and will win you over with its charm. If this is the start of Girl Ray’s career I’m very excited to see what the future holds, it looks incredibly bright.

Chris Middleton

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