The Key Studio Sessions: Good Girl
It doesn’t take long to get hooked on infectious Philly R&B group Good Girl; I’d say about 60 seconds into their 2014 mixtape 90s Kinda Love was about all I needed. As somebody who grew up in the 90s, this charismatic four-piece captures everything that was great about TLC, Destiny’s Child, En Vogue, Janet Jackson…all those feel-good pop jams that soundtracked our bus rides and school dances. But as much as the ladies – Morgan, Megan, Arielle and Courtney – play off of this sense of nostalgia, you don’t need to be pushing 40 to appreciate what they’re doing.
For one thing: their voices, those harmonies – woah. They way they interact and compliment one another is impressive, with lead verses trading off seamlessly and four-part arrangements on the refrain knocking the sound into another realm. The songs have hooks for days, too: though its presented in a more contemplative, Toni Braxton-esque arrangement for their Key Studio Session, the brand new ballad “Collide” will be playing in your head for days long after you’ve listened. Ditto the soaring “Gone Forever” – which, in addition to the emotional harmonies, features atmospheric guitar work from Simon Martinez.
Of course Good Girl also does pop tremendously well, and we hear that in top form on this performance of the infinitely singalongable “Shouldn’t Feel This Good” from 90s Kinda Love. Like “Collide,” it has been on repeat in my head since we recorded, and coupled with the band’s in-concert choreography, is certain to bring the house down when they play The TLA with fellow rising R&B stars MPrynt on Wednesday, March 18th. Tickets and more information on the show can be found at the XPN Concert Calendar. Stream the session with Good Girl below and grab a free download of the performance on Soundcloud.