Travis Mills and Nick Gross are here with a new pop-punk duo, girlfriends. Bringing a sense of relatability to an idealized subject, their debut single titled "California" is the perfect track for your summer playlist.
The two pull inspiration from bands like All Time Low and 5 Seconds of Summer, and those style influences show here in the best way. Both are able to use the talents that got them first noticed as musicians, namely the emo/hip hop songwriting style of Mills and the standout pop-punk percussive skills of Gross, to create something great.
The tone of this song reminds us of some of our favorite pop-punk/alt-rock anthems. The chorus is catchy with the right degree of depth to pull at our heartstrings just the perfect amount. For a number listeners, these lyrics will definitely hit home. Of the topic, Mills stated, “This song is a tribute to where we grew up. I have seen LA eat and spit people out and I’ve seen it make some incredible things happen. There is such a duality to this amazing place.”
What many notable popular rock/punk songs have mastered is the ability to match high energy instrumentation with emo-inspired lyrics. Songs that come to mind are "Baby Blue" by Grayscale, "Mine is Gold" by State Champs, and now, "California" by girlfriends.
The versatility of the pop meets rock meets hip hop style is bound to appeal to a wide range of fans. This artist has a great understanding of what it means to create a song with a number of different style elements without taking away from what it is at the core: a fun and fast-paced debut ignoring the restrictions that come along with conforming to genre expectations.
Check out California on your favorite streaming platform! Keep up with girlfriends at their social media links below:
Article by Caroline Moll