Indie Rock Hit Parade Live Session: Girl Ray

Girl Ray | Photo by John Vettese for WXPN

Joining us in the studio for our first Indie Rock Hit Parade session of the year is the band behind one of my favorite records of the last year. Formed just a few years ago in London, Girl Ray‘s debut, Earl Grey, was released in 2017 when all of the members were still teenagers. Featuring Poppy Hankin on guitar, Iris McConnell on drums and Sophie Moss on bass (along with their friend and producer Mike O’Malley on guitar and keys), Girl Ray’s music incorporates influences well beyond the members’ years. Everything from pop to punk to dance music comes together in Girl Ray’s performance, which gives exciting new life to these still-evolving songs.

Our session begins with “Just Like That,” a rollicking opener. The song’s insistent rhythm eventually gives way to a four-part harmony breakdown in the song’s final minute. Next is “Preacher,” one of the band’s earliest singles. Structured in near reverse to “Just Like That,” the song begins gently, gradually building toward a rousing conclusion. Girl Ray’s use of dynamics reaches its zenith in the last song, “A Few Months,” which alternates between straightforward indie rock, hushed intensity and a surprisingly funky coda.

Listen to Girl Ray’s Indie Rock Hit Parade live session below, and check out some of John Vettese’s photos from the studio: