The archaic term “grass widow” referred to a woman whose lover was alive but absent at sea or at war – yet this all-girl San Franciscan three-piece aren’t missing anything at all. They’re feminine without being “girl-group,” and honey-soaked without being saccharine.
Listening to Grass Widow’s sweet but edgy tracks, it’s hard not to recall the Raincoats’ earnest but endlessly fun racket and numerous other female-fronted post-punk groups, but there’s also a lot in line with the more naive Beatles tracks and recent rainy 60s elegists Veronica Falls. All members contribute to the oddly enchanting off-key vocal lines, which tangle with the spindly, stop-motion guitars to form a sparse, pastoral sound.
It’s worth adding that their principles are pretty watertight too. They refuse to elect one of them as frontwoman, sharing songwriting and press duties between them; and they insist on only playing inexpensive – and wherever possible – all-ages shows. It’s almost humbling to see a band with such impeccable credentials; harking back to the old-school of the DIY underground.
Add to your festival schedule.
