Girls Essentials

Having fled from the religious cult he was born into, Christopher Owens' footprints as a wanderer come through in his music. Formed in San Francisco, Girls took the looseness of frontman Owens' punk background and channeled it through a love for ‘50s and ‘60s pop. The result was 2009's Album, a collection of lo-fi pop tunes with big hooks and unabashedly personal lyrics. 2011's Father, Son, Holy Ghost incorporated lush and layered arrangements into the mix, before the band dissolved as Owens embarked on a solo career.