Parenthetical Girls was an experimental pop band formed in Everett, Washington in 2002, and disbanded in 2013.[1]

Parenthetical Girls
Zac Pennington live with Parenthetical Girls at Lucignolo, Verona, 2007.
Background information
Origin	Everett, Washington, United States
Genres	Experimental pop chamber pop
Years active	2002–2013
Labels	Slender Means Society, Acuarela Discos, Tomlab
Past members	Zac Pennington Jherek Bischoff Amber W. Smith Paul Alcott Eddy Crichton (2006-2011) Freddy Ruppert (2010) Rachael Jensen (2006-2011) Jeremy Cooper (2003-2004) Sam Mickens (2004-2006) Matt Carlson Rebecca Carlisle-Healy (2004-2005) Owen Ashworth (2005) Brenna Murphy (2006)

History

Begun primarily as a recording project between Zac Pennington and Jeremy Cooper, the band, originally known as Swastika Girls,[2] went through several line-up changes, all sharing a variety of instrumental duties, and was known for its revolving-door policy to membership, with Pennington the only constant. Other members, like Jherek Bischoff and former touring musician Sam Mickens (both of the band The Dead Science) continued to contribute to the group's recorded output, though neither toured with the band.

Following Cooper's departure, Pennington released (((GRRRLS))), the band's vinyl-only debut album on his own Slender Means Society label in 2004. Recorded with the help of Jherek Bischoff and Jamie Stewart (the latter of Xiu Xiu), (((GRRRLS))) featured different mixes of the seven songs on each side of the record.[3]

This was followed by the digital-only self-release of their second Christmas-themed EP Christmas with Parenthetical Girls that same year, as well as their second album Safe as Houses (released by Slender Means Society in the United States and Acuarela Discos in Europe), the expanded CD reissue of the (((GRRRLS))) album, and a third self-released Christmas EP A Parenthetical Girls Family Christmas in 2006. A split 7-inch with the band The Dead Science was released by Obsolete Vernacular in 2007. Entanglements, the group's orchestral third album, was released in September 2008 as a split release via Tomlab and Slender Means Society.

Beginning in 2010, the band released a series of limited 12" EPs which would later be compiled into their 2013 album Privilege. The records were sold through Pennington's Slender Means Society label direct to fans, rather than distributed to record stores. At the end of the cycle, the fifth record came packaged with a box to house all the releases. The release was notable as each record was hand-numbered in the blood of the band number featured on the cover.[4] The first 12", entitled Privilege, Pt. I: On Dead And Endearments, was released February 23, 2010 and was numbered in the blood of lead singer Zac Pennington. The second Privilege EP, subtitled The Past, Imperfect, was released on September 21, 2010. Privilege (Abridged), was released on February 14, 2013, containing 12 tracks taken from the five Privilege EPs.

Breakup

On June 19, 2017, Pennington announced his new project, Comedienne, which includes Deerhoof's Greg Saunier and longtime collaborator Jherek Bischoff. The announcement came alongside news that Parenthetical Girls is officially defunct.[5]

As of 2019, Pennington is engaged in a project, entitled Popular Music, alongside Prudence Rees-Lee. They released their first album, a collection of covers from pop culture called Popular Music Plays in Darkness, on November 20, 2020.[6]

Discography

Albums

• 2004 (((GRRRLS)))
• 2006 Safe as Houses
• 2008 Entanglements
• 2013 Privilege (Abridged)

Singles and EPs

• 2004 Christmas with Parenthetical Girls EP
• 2006 Twenty Bees 7"
• 2006 A Parenthetical Girls Family Christmas EP
• 2007 Parenthetical Girls/The Dead Science split 7-inch|Parenthetical Girls/Dead Science 7" split
• 2007 Addendum (Safe as Houses European bonus EP)
• 2008 A David Horvitz Picture Disc with Parenthetical Girls
• 2008 A Song for Ellie Greenwich
• 2009 The Scottish Play: Wherein the Group Parenthetical Girls Pay Well-intentioned (If Occasionally Misguided) Tribute to the Works of Ivor Cutler (Mini-Album)
• 2009 Morrissey/The Smiths 7" split (with Xiu Xiu)
• 2009 "The Christmas Creep"
• 2010 Tomlab Alphabet Singles Series Z
• 2010 Privilege, Pt. I: On Death & Endearments
• 2010 Privilege, Pt. II: The Past, Imperfect
• 2011 "Untanglements" (Entanglements Alternate Versions)
• 2011 Covers. (Rare Cover Versions)
• 2011 Privilege, Pt. III: Mend & Make Do
• 2011 Careful Who You Dance With (Remixes EP)
• 2011 Extra Life/Parenthetical Girls 12" split
• 2011 "Demos for the Dreaming" (Kate Bush Covers)
• 2011 Privilege, pt. IV: Sympathy For Spastics
• 2011 Parenthetical Girls Save Christmas
• 2012 Privilege, pt. V: Portrait of a Reputation
• 2012 Good Christian Men Rejoice, It's Parenthetical Girls

References

• Bowers, William. (July 6, 2006) "Parenthetical Girls: Safe As Houses". Retrieved July. 22, 2007.
• Unterberger, Richie. (2006) "Allmusic Review - Safe As Houses." Retrieved July. 22, 2007.

Specific

External links

• Official band site Archived 2014-03-18 at the Wayback Machine
• Slender Means Society (record label)
• Parenthetical Girls at AllMusic
• Official Myspace Page - downloadable and/or streaming MP3s, current tour dates.
• Acoustic Session with 'They Shoot Music - Don't They'