There is something hauntingly beautiful in the indie rock trio Casket Girls. Voiced by the Savannah sisters, Phaedra and Elsa Greene, the Casket Girls persona is eerily alluring, combining elements of performance art and alternative rock to create music that questions virtually everything.
Described as “questioning the essence of humanity, where the dreamers, prophets and vampires of the old world, work together to forge a new path,” the Casket Girls’ third full length LP, The Night Machines, focuses on the concept of singularity. Throughout the album, the band’s witty, tell-it-like-it-is attitude shines through their carefully crafted instrumentals.
While most songs are slow in tempo and slightly sinister in tone, the Casket Girls’ lyrical content is vibrant in that they always have something to say about everything. That’s probably one of their strongest features; they don’t hold back on expression, whether it’s regarding societal norms or the freedom felt during a night out on the town.
Casket Girls Explore Modern Issues
The LP’s opening track, “24 Hours,” introduces the audience to a very mellowed-down, almost psychedelic indie sound. The Casket Girls, sounding like a spooky mix of Warpaint and Mitski, incorporate mesmerizing synths and guitar riffs that complement the Savannah sisters’ melodic vocals.
The track itself has a really chilled out, slightly ominous feel to it. The harmonic vocals are both chilling and relaxing, sounding like a call into the night. The descending keyboard notes are almost psychedelic in a way, adding another layer of ghostly energy to the song.
Lyrically, tracks like “Tears of a Clown” really shine. The Savannah sisters’ melodic vocals are enough to put their audience in a trance as they openly recite criticisms of the United States’ capitalism-fueled society.
“America bleeds the tears of a clown / Seeing stars behind bars / From Bible Belt to Tinsel Town / Seeing stars behind bars,” sing the vocals. “If it wasn’t for making money / We’d be making love.”
“Nightlife” adds a lightness to The Night Machines. Though still marked with the Casket Girls stamp, it introduces a different feel. The track opens with a cool ‘80s synth beat that is very mellow and tranquil. The synthesized layers of the track are really dreamy and have a really nice feel-good vibe to the song, even adding a few “doo doo doo’s” here and there. Yet as the sisters ask their audience “Are you happy? Are you free?” we are snapped back into the daunting reality of the band.
The Night Machines is a dark mix of indie rock, and Casket Girls are something to truly rave about.
