Father, Son, Holy Ghost - Girls
Metascore
79 out of 100

Generally favorable reviews - based on 33 Critics

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 26 out of 33
  2. Mixed: 6 out of 33
  3. Negative: 1 out of 33
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  1. Austin Chronicle
    Nov 3, 2011
    89
    FSHG continues this wheelhouse effect, drifting from Smile session bounce on opener "Honey Bunny" into the heavy-psych wind tunnel of "Die" and sprawling anchor "Vomit."
  2. Billboard.com
    Oct 17, 2011
    93
    With Father, Son, Holy Ghost, the band has vaulted the equivalent of three albums ahead, taking the conciseness of the EP and confounding expectations.
  3. cokemachineglow
    Sep 12, 2011
    82
    We have Father, Son, Holy Ghost: honest, occasionally crushing, often stunning, and all the better for the fact that Owens seems to be incapable of being anyone but himself.
  4. Filter
    Sep 12, 2011
    82
    Album is an astoundingly good record in its own right, but the omni-directional growth showcased on Father, Son, Holy Ghost is nearly overwhelming.
  5. musicOMH.com
    Sep 23, 2011
    90
    The simple truth is, you won't find a sadder yet more uplifting album all year.
  6. No Ripcord
    Dec 15, 2011
    90
    a record that is both this good and a display of a band with so much more to show us does not come along often.
  7. Paste Magazine
    Sep 13, 2011
    90
    This album not only surpasses its predecessor but raises the bar for any band, indie or otherwise, mining the past for inspiration.
  8. Pitchfork
    Sep 12, 2011
    93
    This lyrical simplicity shouldn't obscure the fact that these are sharply constructed songs that take unusual turns. One of Girls' specialities is their willingness to go completely over the top but somehow keep us right there with them.
  9. PopMatters
    Sep 20, 2011
    90
    This latest disc really seems to cement the notion that the collective combination of the songsmiths Owens and White simply cannot do no wrong, that all of that time spent kept away from the pleasures of modern music, at least in one member's case, has simply fostered an entity that is bemused and bedazzled with the charms of the past's reflective prism.
  10. Spin
    Sep 20, 2011
    90
    With Father, Son, Holy Ghost's exquisite, beyond-indie melodies, arrangements, and musicianship (the playful "Magic," the elegant "Just a Song," the fiery "Die"), he [Christopher Owens] and bassist-producer JR White flirt with perfection.
  11. Sputnikmusic
    Nov 29, 2011
    90
    They sound like they'll probably end up being one of the most enduring bands of our era.
  12. The A.V. Club
    Sep 13, 2011
    91
    The pair has picked up a supporting cast and loads of confidence for Girls' second album, Father, Son, Holy Ghost.

User Reviews

All reviews »
User Score
8.7 out of 10

Universal acclaim- based on 40 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 5 out of 6
  2. Mixed: 1 out of 6
  3. Negative: 0 out of 6
  1. ResonantPassage
    10
    Perhaps the most highly anticipated indie album of 2011, Father, Son, Holy Ghost was touted as a classic even before its release. These are weighty expectations for any band to endure, let alone a young band from San Francisco poised to release only its second full-length album... read the rest of the review at http://www.resonantpassage.net/2011/09/08/girls-father-son-holy-ghost/… Full Review »
  2. starwarsfanatic
    10
    Girls have made the greatest album of the 2010s so far. Father, Son, Holy Ghost is an amazing masterpiece. I can't believe that its only a 79 on Metacritic.… Full Review »
  3. j30
    8
    Father, Son, Holy Ghost is one of the best album of 2011. The music, while trying to be sort of nostalgic rock, sounds surprisingly fresh. Christopher Owens' singing is hard to get used to at first, but worth the first couple listens.… Full Review »
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