Kevin Bronson on January 9th, 2016

0

Boigirl are a new modern emo/post-hardcore quartet who come out of the Valley with guitars blazing and equally powerful messages about identity issues. The band is comprised of “three dudes and a trans guy makin’ rock music in L.A.,” they say, the latter being vocalist Casper (née Cassie) Purtlebaugh, who also has the solo pop project Baughleon. Purtlebaugh is backed by the thunderous trio of guitarist Chris Scott, bassist Josh Chapman and drummer James Kohlmeier, and the foursome debuted in December with the single “Casualty Count,” a seething takedown of liars. It was produced by Danny Balistocky, owner of Hollywood’s Revolution 9 Studios, as was the second single, “Unapologetically,” which addresses gender identity struggles head-on.

“I’ve been told to leave my home to go find people ‘like me’ since I’d never fit in where I’m from,” says Purtlebaugh, who teamed up with Scott in the band Sound the Sky from 2010 to ’12. “Maybe you’ve been told something like this before too. But if that’s what it takes to claim your individuality and happiness then do it; don’t live in fear. You only have one life to get it right and you can never get back a single second you waste.” That could apply to any identity issue, really, which would make Purtlebaugh happy. “Our ultimate goal is to positively impact others and encourage people to keep strong in life,” he says. And roar a little bit while doing do.

||| Stream: “Unapologetically” and “Casualty Count”