ALBUM REVIEW: “Exits & All The Rest” by Girl In A Coma

Girl In A Coma
Exits & All The Rest
[Blackheart Records]

Remember watching that scene in 10 Things I Hate About You where Julia Stiles’ character goes to that girl-friendly concert in a seedy bar in her badass mustang and how you totally wanted to be her? Well, I can’t supply you with her mustang, but I’ve totally got the tunes for you. Out of Austin, TX, Girl in a Coma is that girl group with edge. Leading lady Nina Diaz commands singing, projecting and hitting high register nasal notes just like 10 Things’ Letters to Cleo but Diaz also has a social conscience side that tackles topic like Arizona’s immigration law in her song “Hope.” Stiles’ character would have loved Girl in a Coma.

To dig into the album a bit deeper one finds that Exits & All The Rest, the fourth album by Girl In A Coma equally borders the lines of aggressive femmes, sultry songstresses
and fun rockers. On “She Had A Plan,” the pushing bass line leaves no question that these ladies can be assertive. Followed by the subdued “So,” one of the album’s best cuts, GIAC drop the front and expose that their feathers are at risk for ruffling, yet the threesome builds the brusque wall right back up on “Cemetery Baby,” which is just howling to have a room full of girls let their hormones bounce off the walls. Exits & All The Rest calls for a tour of dark, bear-soaked venue halls, but it turns out Girl in a Coma actually have bigger things planned. You can check them out later this month on their CD release tour making stops at Webster Hall in NY, The Independent in San Francisco and Echolplex in LA.