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Girl In A Coma is no stranger to the studio, releasing a hand full of demos before releasing their first full length record on Blackheart Records in 2007. “Both Before I’m Gone” was critically acclaimed and received rave reviews in AP Magazine, L.A. Weekly and many others. Two years later they released “Trio B.C.” and just one short year later “Adventures in Coverland was released. Every single album these girls from San Antonio Texas have released has been met with rave reviews for their ability to blend certain genres, and for their ability to appeal to a wide audience.
The first few albums from this tattooed trio had a certain innocence to them, and maybe the girls where mesmerized and wide eyed at the fact they were actually going to make a living doing what they love. That is something that would certainly have an impact on the way the songs were written. Nina, the youngest of the three and also the bands guitarist and vocalist, has a way of writing lyrics that can be both sweet and aggressive at the same time.
While the previous albums all had stand out tracks on them (Static Mind, El Monte and the covers of While My Guitar Gently Weeps and Walkin’ After Midnight) and I certainly have my share of favorites, the innocence is fading. What is replacing the innocence is grim determination to be taken seriously and a maturing in their playing style, lyric writing and recording. Their musical style has been compared to Siouxsie, Morrissey, The Smiths and others. While the influences are easily picked out, they are far removed from Girl In A Coma’s writing style. These three women have taken their influences, blended them, and turned their sound into something completely original. Girl In A Coma has had punk, rock, and a few other meaningless genre describing terms thrown at them but none fully describes what you here when listening to this trio. Americana punk with punk attitude, pop sensibility and the energy of rockabilly sums up the album “Exits and all the Rest” fairly well, but I’m sure people will label this CD what they will.
Westminster, Colorado
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Girl In A Coma: Exits and all the Rest album review
by Tom Walsh
Posted on October 31, 2011
Girl In A Coma: Exits and all the Rest
Release date November 1st 2011
Tracks
1. Adjust
2. One Eyed Fool
3. Smart
4. She Had A Plan
5. So
6. Cemetery Baby
7.Knockin At Your Door
8.Hope
9. Control
10.Sly
11.Mothers Lullaby
Exits and all the Rest showcases a more mature, grown up Girl In A Coma with a driving, more in sync rhythm from bassist Jenn Alva and drummer Phanie Diaz and raw emotional vocals from Nina Diaz. Nina’s playing has also improved on this album and it seems she may have forced herself out of her comfort zone to write more memorable, catchy guitar parts.
On the opening song “Adjust” Nina shows us just how easy it is for her to go from a soft easy listening voice to one with a growl of anger. The music follows suit as Phanie and Jenn ramp up to give us just a second of sonic overload before dropping back down into a bluesy, somewhat jazzy drifting ocean of sound, while “One Eyed Fool” starts out with a bass line that could have been on an early Black Sabbath track. Nina’s voice takes on sweet undertones on this track recapturing some of that innocence while the reverb on her guitar would make any self respecting rockabilly guitarist proud.
“Smart” is more than just an attempt in mainstream pop. It is well written with catchy music, a few effects, and really shows the Morrissey and The Smiths influence on Girl In A Coma. Nina’s voice on this song is achingly sweet and pure and many boys, and men, may find themselves daydreaming about this voice, creating their own vision of what the girl behind the voice should look like.
If someone would have said to me a month ago that it is possible to crush on just a voice I would have said impossible. But now, after listening to Girl In A Coma I have discovered that it is entirely possible. The sweetness, the innocence, the growl of Nina’s voice all blend to create an exciting thrill like declaring your love for a high school crush in front of all your friends. Exits and all the Rest is now a welcome addition to my listening library. It is fresh and original, and while all three girls make GIAC what it is the songs are carried on Nina’s mesmerizing voice.
The tattooed trio is now touring in support of their new album with shows starting in Houston, Texas Oct. 30 and making their way across the western U.S. before ending the tour in Mission, Texas Dec. 17th.
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Phanie Diaz (drummer), Nina Diaz (guitar/vocals), Jenn Alva (bass). Photo by Josh Huskin
Girl In A Coma Tour Dates
11/04 - DALLAS, TX - The Prophet Bar
11/06 - ORLEANS, LA - Siberia Bar
11/07 - ATLANTA, GA - The Masquerade
11/08 - CHAPEL HILL, NC - Local 506
11/09 - WASHINGTON, DC - DC9
11/10 - BROOKLYN, NY - Knitting Factory
11/11 - NEW YORK, NY - The Studio at Webster Hall
11/13 - CAMBRIDGE, MA - TT The Bear's
11/15 - PHILADELPHIA, PA - North Star Bar
11/16 - COLUMBUS, OH - Rumba Café
11/17 - INDIANAPOLIS, IN - Radio Radio
11/18 - DETROIT, MI - Magic Stick
11/19 - CHICAGO, IL - Double Door
11/20 - MADISON, WI - The High Noon Saloon
11/22 - ST. PAUL, MN -- Station 4
11/23 - DENVER, CO - Marquis Theatre
11/25 - SALT LAKE CITY, UT - Kilby Court
11/26 - BOISE, ID - Neurolux
11/27 - SEATTLE, WA - Crocodile Café
11/28 - PORTLAND, OR - Doug Fir Lounge
11/29 - SAN FRANCISCO, CA - The Independent
12/02 - LOS ANGELES, CA - The Echoplex
12/04 - SAN DIEGO, CA - The Casbah
12/07 - EL PASO, TX - House of Rock
12/09 - CORPUS CHRISTI, TX - House of Rock
12/10 - HOUSTON, TX - Warehouse Live
