Swedish indie rock band Girl Scout take us track-by-track through the sonically and emotionally charged ‘Granny Music,’ their unapologetic, uncompromising, and utterly irresistible sophomore EP.
for fans of Wy, Phoebe Bridgers, boygenius, Soccer Mommy, Snail Mail
Stream: “Monster” – Girl Scout
A sophomore EP, already?!
You’d be forgiven for feeling like we were just welcoming Stockholm’s Girl Scout into our lives the other day; in many ways, we were! The striking four-piece released their smile-inducing debut single “Do You Remember Sally Moore?” last October, and their critically-acclaimed debut EP – the affectionately titled Real Life Human Garbage – followed this past February.
Half a year isn’t that long, but it’s all the time the Swedish indie rock band – already a two-time Atwood Editor’s Pick – needed to make one helluva follow-up. Girl Scout’s fire burns bolder and brighter than ever on Granny Music, a sonically and emotionally charged five-track EP that hits hard and leaves a lasting mark. Aching from the inside out with raw passion, heated lyrics, and an infectious, soul-stirring energy, Granny Music builds upon the promise of Girl Scout’s debut EP, ensuring their rightful place as an artist-to-watch in 2024 and beyond!
Life isn’t fair, I really don’t care
How does it feel?
This house ain’t a home,
I should have known
You really don’t know me well at all
Pin it on me and I’ll disagree
So cry all you want
Give me a fight, take my advice
Don’t be so f**ing soft
I am an animal
Weary and disturbed
So sick of it all
Waiting out my turn
I’ll never be right for you
Just give me what I want
I’m a monster…
– “Monster,” Girl Scout
It’s so fun to imagine our grandparents’ generation listening to Girl Scout and guffawing at their band name: We can see someone reacting to a song like “Monster” (above) with a look of surprise, hurriedly exclaiming, “They aren’t girl scouts at all!“
Aaaand that’s the beauty of this darling band.
Released September 27 via MADE Records, Granny Music is unapologetic, uncompromising, and utterly irresistible – a breathtakingly dynamic, dramatic set of songs that feels at once tender and tough, catchy and cathartic, loud and soft. You’ll get no Thin Mints, Samoas, Tagalongs or Do-si-dos from these Girl Scouts – but what they lack in sweet treats, they make up for in – well – sweet treats: An unforgettable indie rock rollercoaster of sound awaits all those who lend this band twenty minutes of their time, and give Granny Music the proverbial spin.
“It’s a continuation of our first EP, but we’ve expanded on the sound and explored more sides of our songs and writing,” guitarist Viktor Spasov tells Atwood Magazine. “We do feel that the two EPs belong together because they were recorded in the same studio and with the same producer, so there is definitely a connection between them.”
Frontwoman and guitarist Emma Jansson agrees with Spasov’s assessment. “We were definitely still in the initial stages as a band, so we knew that this would serve as an introduction to our music for most people,” she says. “We wanted to include songs that we felt were a big part of our sound and were pretty straight to the point. Five songs isn’t a lot of music so we put a lot of thought into picking songs that left a mark with people. The actual recording session was only a week long, so we discussed a lot of things beforehand so we had a moderately clear idea of what we wanted to do. That being said, there are always happy accidents that come with going into the studio!”
“The spectrum of genres is broader on this EP than the last one,” she adds. “We were willing to take more risks and stray a little from the sound of our first EP. There’s some heartland sounding stuff going on, and there’s a power-ballad, and then of course we have a couple rockers in there, too. We wanted to explore some new ground without abandoning the foundation we built with the first EP.”
“We had also worked with our producer, Ali Chant before, so we knew what the process would look like. We chose the songs really carefully and experimented with different versions before going into the studio to make sure we explored what the songs could turn into.”
Comprised of Emma Jansson (guitar, vocals), Evelina Arvidsson Eklind (bass, vocals), Per Lindberg (drums) and Viktor Spasov (guitar), Girl Scout intentionally defy definition and subvert expectation – all while delivering music that sends shivers down the spine with every listen.
“Granny Music is a really stupid name for an EP; that’s kind of why we loved it,” Jansson flashes a smile. “On the other hand, the songs themselves have quite introspective themes. There is a lot of looking back and trying to figure out why things are the way they are; a fair amount of anguish.”
I have always been drawn to art that can depict heavier subjects with sprinkles of humour throughout. I think that is exactly how life works, and it makes the art feel real.
The title Granny Music actually started from an inside joke. “We love The Beatles, and there’s a story that John Lennon would refer to some of Paul McCartneys songs as ‘Granny Muzak,’” Spasov explains. “We found that funny and fitting because some of the music on the EP is about generational differences and growing up. It started as a joke but ended up becoming the title!”
The journey from the intoxicating, attitude-packed “Monster” to the achingly visceral “Mothers & Fathers” is filled with sparkling moments of connection, upheaval, and cinematic release. The EP’s runaway hit (thus far), “Millionaire” is a vulnerable and beautifully expressive reflection on childhood innocence (and the loss thereof):
The hair on your arms
Took the word of a boy to tear you apart
Does your mother still love your dad?
It’ll be the only kind of love you’ll ever have
Couldn’t tell a good friend from a bad
Still get shivers down my spine
when I meet someone who has the laugh that she had
And nobody ever listens
If I got a dollar every time
they said “when you get older”
I’d be a millionaire…
– “Millionaire,” Girl Scout
“Boy in Blue” is as churning as it is disarming: Searing guitars and unrelenting drums pack a seismic punch on a song that’s as unstoppable as it is undeniably strong – a welcome assault on the ears and soul alike.
“”Boy in Blue’ embodies the feeling of being stuck in a relationship,” Jansson says. “It’s about growing apart and realizing you are completely different people that really don’t have much in common other than your infatuation with each other, and losing your own sense of self during that relationship. It is truly heartbreaking coming to that realization.”
Girl Scout sugarcoat nothing, and yet the resulting music is ecstatic – maybe even euphoric – because reaching that understanding is its own reckoning come into view. It hurts to know your love is dying; that the thing you once held so dear has lost so much of its personal value – but maybe there’s power in coming to terms with our emotions and preparing ourselves to move forward; to move on.
And then there’s “Bruises,” perhaps Girl Scout’s best song of all ten released to date. An impassioned emotional declaration of love and affection ready to light up stadiums and hearts alike, the gentle giant aches with raw feeling as Jansson spills her soul through bittersweet lyrics full of pain and yearning.
“It’s about reaching a certain age where you realize that the grown ups and elderly people around you aren’t really grown ups, but just kids stuck in older bodies,” Spasov says. “It’s a song about trying to understand and forgive the wrongdoings or faults that people close to you may have and, in some ways, the whole track is a reminder for myself to try and choose love and patience instead of anger and irritation.”
Driving through memories
of the cars that you have crashed
Through the wastelands and the ruins of your past
Through open windows
See the land unfold
The roadmap of these scars that you hold
’Cause I’m never gonna love like I love you now
And you are never gonna find anyone who loves you
Like I love you now
Let me heal your bruises
You run away when I get closer
You don’t have to fear my hands
It won’t be the same
– “Bruises,” Girl Scout
From declaring themselves monsters to ruminating on the impacts of a happy marriage versus divorce on the kids, Girl Scout certainly cast a wide net with their sophomore EP – coming up for air with five magnificent songs we’ll be playing all year long, and for many years to come.
They’ve been given the same “shooting star” status that Wet Leg got in 2021, and for good reason: Girl Scout’s star is rising fast as lightning. True to themselves and to absolutely no one else, the Swedish indie rock band are in a league of their own, and we can’t wait for all the head-turning musical adventures yet to come!
Until then, we’ll be unashamedly playing Granny Music on repeat.
“I guess I hope that someone who feels lonely or isolated can find comfort in our music,” Spasov tells Atwood Magazine. “If someone’s lost or doesn’t know what to do about life, I hope that they can find some kind of escape or refuge in our songs. Personally, what I’ve taken away from making this record is how amazing it is to watch songs come to life from sketches, and how co-writing and collaboration can really make you create things that you could never do on your own!”
Remember, we’re all kids at heart. Experience the full record via our below stream, and peek inside Girl Scout’s Granny Music EP with Atwood Magazine as Emma Jansson and Viktor Spasov take us track-by-track through the music and lyrics of their band’s latest release!
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:: stream/purchase Granny Music here ::
:: connect with Girl Scout here ::
Stream: ‘Granny Music’ – Girl Scout
:: Inside Granny Music ::
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Monster
Emma: This song was like a puzzle to assemble, very much an intense collab between me and Vik. We basically just took turns adding on things until we had a complete song, it kind of just became a thing without us really making any conscious decisions beyond ”this sounds kinda cool”. Was very fun to make!
Millionaire
Emma: Children are so heartbreakingly vulnerable, and it’s terrible how quickly you forget what that feels like when you reach adulthood. It always fills me with a dull sadness when we play it live. I really love it though!
Boy in Blue
Emma: Viktor came to me with the first few lines, then we wrote the rest of it together. The first thing that came to mind hearing the first couple of lyrics (Boy in blue, I think you gave me the flu, said you’d call me back, now I can’t get a hold of you) was one-sided high school relationships so I just wrote the rest of the lyrics based off of that interpretation.
Bruises
Viktor: Bruises is a song about realizing that grown ups can actually be kids in elderly bodies and that communication between generations can be very hard. It’s a song about choosing to forgive and learning to cope with peoples differences instead of giving up on relationships.
Mothers & Fathers
Emma: A song about divorce and how my friends were affected growing up living in two different households with parents that don’t speak to each other. My mom and dad are still happily married, and I think seeing a healthy relationship up close from an early age was so valuable for me. We wanted the song to sound like an arena song, Bruce Springsteen and Sam Fender were major influences when it comes to the sound.
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:: stream/purchase Granny Music here ::
:: connect with Girl Scout here ::
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© Alvin Lindblom
© Alvin Lindblom:: Stream Girl Scout ::
