Avery Tucker - Paw (2025) Hi-Res

It's been three years since indie rock duo Girlpool (Avery Tucker and Harmony Tividad) split up. From 2014's "Before the World Was Big" to 2022's "Forgiveness," the duo garnered a niche but devoted following for their close vocal connection and songwriting. Their dynamic only deepened after Tucker underwent a transition in 2017, which changed his vocal range.

After the breakup, Tucker pursued his own path, driven by a desire for a solo career.

Harmony Tividad: Dropping her last name, she embarked on an unexpected hyperpop journey with her solo debut, "Gossip," released last year. However, contrary to expectations, the album was superficial, and while praised for its attempt to transgress Girlpool listener expectations, it was criticized for lacking depth.
Avery Tucker: Meanwhile, Tucker delved deeper into the grungier, rawer side of Girlpool's versatile sound with his solo LP, "Paw." While retaining traces of Girlpool's signature delicate production and intimate lyrics, the album establishes Tucker's artistic direction more clearly and effectively.

"Paw" possesses a haunted, earthy quality, appropriate for a fall release. Country-infused guitar riffs and shoegaze-esque vibes, combined with the Montana landscape where the album was partially recorded, deeply reflect the seasonal melancholy.

Tucker establishes a foggy sonic landscape with the power of his voice, able to alternate between whispered growls and full-throated screams in the same song. This blend of rawness and vulnerability also speaks to the complex emotions he tackles throughout the album: self-criticism, lost connections, and the painful pull of the past.

"Paw" serves as a solemn epilogue to Girlpool's final album, "Forgiveness," which explored similar themes.

Opening track "Like I'm Young" is a tender-to-gut-wrenching ballad that contemplates the eroticism and awkwardness of sexual vulnerability. The song's climax, in which Tucker calls out his struggles with gender and sexuality, sets the stage for the album's exploration of how his identity has affected his relationships and self-perception.

The album tackles the powerful question, "Can you learn to love what's happened to you?", and explores whether it's possible to accept the bad things we've experienced without letting them define us.

The album features backing vocals from MUNA's Katie Gavin (on the duet "Angel"), co-producer Alaska Reid (the reverb-heavy "Rust"), and Porches' Aaron Maine (on "Baby Broke"), bringing a sense of relief to the otherwise despairing atmosphere. The Julee Cruise-inspired "Rust" in particular highlights the best of Tucker's vocals and songwriting.

However, some have criticized Paw's consistently solemn mood, which, combined with a lack of the humor and lightheartedness that made Girlpool so appealing, somewhat diminishes the impact Tucker is aiming for. Nevertheless, the album respects the diversity of his past while charting a new creative path, and contains some promising sparks that suggest even more moving work is on the way.