Girls

If it were possible to take all of the psychedelic, polysexual, hippie-dippy, let’s-all-just-roll-around-in-the-grass-and-get-high utopian visions that are conjured when thinking about San Francisco and somehow distill them into listenable music, the result would sound like the Bay Area duo Girls. Formed in late 2007 by perpetually mellow best friends Christopher Owens, 29, and Chet JR White, 29 (“Not surprisingly, we met while hanging out in the park,” White admits), the twosome quickly morphed from a lo-fi bedroom project into a full-time career pursuit. Girls’ singles are charmingly earnest affairs—sweet pop songs about life and love and the pursuit of good vibes, set to strummy acoustic numbers and fuzzed-out guitar jams. The duo has even created a series of autobiographical YouTube videos featuring the Girls guys (along with a rotating cast of floppy-haired friends) smoking, jumping up and down on beds, and rolling down hills of green grass. “Obviously, the experience of living in San Francisco has a very strong effect on our material,” says White. “The city is beautiful, the weather is great, life is great, our friends are great . . . but it can also be a trap: When all anyone really wants to do is hang out and get high, it can be hard to get things done.” Hoping to avoid the pitfalls of inertia that have stopped so many other San Fran bands from breaking out, Girls turned their attention to playing shows and finding a label (True Panther Sounds) for their debut LP, tentatively titled Father Son Holy Ghost, which is due out next month. “Essentially, we just like the idea of being romantic and simple and honest and appreciating the beauty of what’s around you,” says White, at which point Owens can’t help but chuckle: “God, we are from San Francisco!” Indeed.

Above: Girls in Los Angeles, November 2008. Chet JR White (left) wears a sweater and jeans by diesel. Scarf: Raquel Allegra. Christopher Owens wears a coat by Michel Berandi. Shirt: Raquel Allegra. Hair products: aveda, including Self Control Hair Styling Stick. Fragrance: Diesel fuel for life. Styling: Moses/Margaret Maldonado Agency. Grooming: Lina Hanson/Magnet la.

Check out upcoming show dates at the band’s MySpace page.