Full Review:

Ashley Kossakowski has a voice born for Groupie’s brand of art-damaged rock. The singer and bassist for the NYC-based act has a perfect fusion of Slits-esque sing-song, Kim Gordon rasp, and Chrissie Hynde coo—like a more unimpressed version of Bully’s Alicia Bognanno. And the songs come across like the Platonic ideal of sharp East Coast post-punk, blending Raincoats-like vocals and tones, angular guitars, and early Talking Heads into a heady stew of indie rock that would feel right at home in a downtown jukebox from just about any time in the past 30 years. Despite the disparate influences and sometimes unusual blend of lo-fi songcraft (replete with proudly oft-tinny guitars) and high-gloss production, all the songs on Ephemeral, the band’s raucous and addictive debut, end up feeling of a piece, whether teasing K Records-style minimalist groove (the Polish-language “Daleko”) or fuzzed-out ’90s rock reminiscent of Helium (“Thick As Glue”). It’s a record that sounds like the greatest-hits post-punk compilation you found hidden in an old used record bin—endearing, impressive, and essential. [Alex McLevy]