Considering they’ve been around for less time than it takes to bring a baby to term, local garage pop act Girlfriends have caused a stir with impressive speed. The group, composed of drummer Andrew Sadoway, bassist Jenny Dowty and guitarist/vocalist Ben Pot-rykus, snagged Best Garage or Psych Act in The Phoenix and have received positive reviews for their debut cassette tape from mags like Performer and Magnet.
Though they’re a new band, they’re not new to the scene — Sadoway drummed for Mean Creek, Dowty played with Mmoss, and Potrykus played with emo act the Receiving End of Sirens and folk-poppers Christians and Lions. Listening to Girlfriends’ skuzzy, in-the-red analog recordings and simple, sweet, ’60s-esque pop/rock, one could accuse Potrykus of chasing trends, but he meets such charges with a wink: “Those other styles of music were just a passing fad. This is really my calling.”
Basically, the band does what they like. That extends to the choice to release cassettes and 45s: “I personally hate CDs,” Dowty says.
“With everyone putting everything onto iPods,” Sadoway adds, “it’s better to have some sort of medium that’s not as disposable.”
The band also insists they’re committed to staying local. “Everyone moves their band to Brooklyn,” Sadoway says. “But I want to put Boston on the map.”
