By Phil Scarisbrick

Goat Girl’s eponymous debut album was a sharp, and at times vitriolic collection of social commentaries set across nineteen frenetic tracks. It was the scatter gun fire of front woman, Clottie Cream’s sense of alienation in the world as it was back then. It would be hard to imagine that a post-Brexit Britain in the depths of a global pandemic and impending recession could give you a sense that things have got better, but it seems that the band’s approach to tackling the issues as they see them has softened.

Announcing new record – On All Fours, the band have also unveiled a first taster in the shape of Sad Cowboy, and it seems a world away from their debut. A looping synth line and reverb-drenched guitar fall away into a funky, loose groove that drives the dreamy, dense soundtrack. The chorus is utterly delightful, bursting to life off the back of a pre-chorus that falls off the edge of a cliff, before clambering back to Terra firma from the precipice. Speaking of the track, Cream says, “Sad Cowboy centres around the idea of losing a grip on reality and how often this can happen. When you’re within a world that constantly makes you feel as though your living out a really bad dream, disillusionment is inevitable.”

So while the music and lyrics feel less confrontational, they still address the same sense of alientation that made their debut connect. ‘It’s the same old place‘ she sings, but it certainly doesn’t feel like it.

Once again produced by Dan Carey (Kae Tempest, Black Midi, Franz Ferdinand), On All Fours is released on 29th January 2021 through Rough Trade.

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