[rating=5.00]
Whenever an actor attempts to cross over and make music, it’s always smart to manage expectations accordingly, but approach with an open mind. Got a Girl is the project of indie actress Mary Elizabeth Winstead and talented producer and musician Dan Nakamura, and their debut together is cheekily titled I Love You But I Must Drive Off This Cliff Now. The two met during the production of a film, when Winstead gushed in admiration to Nakamura, resulting in this quirky collaboration.
With elements of 1960s lounge music and smooth retro sounding pop, Got a Girl jingles and jangles its way through subdued harmonies and mostly forgettable melodies. In other words, it’s nothing special. Winstead is not a strong singer, but her voice is sweet and pretty with smoky notes. In many instances, the instrumentals overwhelm her vocals, drowning them out. “Last Stop” is a good example of this with its blah singing and manufactured and redundant jingle punk-esque tune. “There’s a Revolution” also finds Winstead’s voice overrun by the over-produced and crowded instrumentals.
The record isn’t all bad, though. Its stronger points are the less literal ones, in which the two aren’t overly imitating mod Euro pop of decades past. “I’ll Never Hold You Back” is a pretty, lush love song that’s layered and inviting, and “Heavenly” is a sultry breakup song; on both, Winstead sounds clearer and ethereal. “Close To You” would be much better if not for the unappealing disco beat that just doesn’t work with Winstead’s angelic whisper. She sounds best when her voice is paired with simpler music, and she’s less outdone by costume-y, shiny production, but otherwise she gets a bit lost.
“Did We Live Too Fast?” and “Friday Night” are similarly lounge-ish, and are easily the best tracks on the whole record. They feature a stronger, wider vocal range from Winstead, and incorporate a noirish air of mystery and adventurous spirit, both of which this record needs much more. If every song were as exciting as this one, Got a Girl might be more intriguing.
“Da Da Da” is perhaps the “loungiest” of the bunch and may remind you of alt pop bands like Deee-Lite and Brazilian Girls. With Winstead giggling amidst a groovy beat, it takes itself less seriously than other songs on the record. This is an overall issue with the album. Are we meant to be impressed or just to laugh at the all the fun these two are having living out a fantasy of paying homage to a retro kitsch era of music? We get that they’re fans of the aesthetic, but the execution is flat and never really leads anywhere, with many of the songs sounding the same.
There’s no doubt that there’s something sexy about this record, with Winstead oozing femininity and using her acting skills to really get into character as a mod French free spirit. But for all its allure, it doesn’t boast much substance.
The liner notes on I Love You are perhaps the best part. With incredible shots of Winstead resembling a glamorous Bardot-like 1960s pop star, complete with a fierce cat-eye, chic outfits and fur, and a covetable hair-do. Nakamura looks equally cool, brandishing a martini glass and a vintage camera, and wearing dark shades and tailored suits. It calls to mind groovy old-fashioned record covers from the likes of Herb Alpert, and it makes you appreciate the intention of this record, even if it doesn’t sound as good as it looks.
