Influences Playlist: Girl Scout

We are inviting our favorite musicians to compile playlists of the songs and artists who have impacted their latest projects the most. The latest Influences guest is the Swedish alt-rock group Girl Scout, whose brand new EP Headache—a multi-layered explosion of hate, hurt, guilt and frustration through the lens of their charismatic indie rock—is out today. Grappling with the gut-wrenching physical manifestations of anxiety and the “weird feeling in the pit of your stomach that you wake up with for no reason at all,” Headache is a cathartic release as singer Emma Jansson howls through bated-breath apologies and pleas to make it all go away. This loose and liberating project simulates these ravaging internal emotions through captivating anger, guttural yelps and “funny feelings” about people and life as a whole.

“Headache is AAAAAAAAH!!!!!!,” Jansson said. “That feeling: straight-up hate and frustration.” The glistening pristine of their traditional up-tempo guitar rock is still present, but the intensity of fluctuating emotion elevates their once-laidback sound to a new, complex level. It makes sense that their sonic inspirations would be artists that do the same through their work. Upon the release of their debut EP, Real Life Human Garbage, Paste named Girl Scout the Best of What’s Next and, later in 2023, the band returned with the release of the phenomenal Granny Music.

Check out Girl Scout’s Influences playlist, which includes tracks from Elliott Smith, Pom Poko and Kurt Vile, below:

Wednesday: “Bull Believer”

Someone once described us as ”Wednesday Lite” and I’ll gladly take that as a compliment. The outro on this song was a huge inspiration to “I’m So Sorry.” There’s something magical about guttural screaming.

Indigo de Souza: “Younger & Dumber”

I’m a sucker for a slow build-up, and this one is equally as gut-wrenching as it is liberating.

Saya Grey: “ok FURIKAKE”

I have no idea how it’s possible to make music this scattered yet intentional, but it’s aspirational nevertheless.

Elliott Smith: “Pitseleh”

Elliott will probably always be someone we come back to. He’s had such a huge influence on us as songwriters.

Big Star: “I’m In Love With A Girl”

Simple. To the point. Brilliant.

Fontaines D.C.: “Starburster”

A song about anxiety, something we can all get behind. I remember when I heard this for the first time and it’s barely left my ears since.

Ovlov: “The Wishing Well”

The chords on this track are just SO up our alley. Obsessed.

Pom Poko: “Like A Lady”

I can never leave this song alone, and will never give up on writing something as harmonically brilliant as this. A reference point for many, many, many of our songs.

Alvvays: “Easy On Your Own?”

It’s no secret that Alvvays have been huge inspirations to us since we started the band, and to follow them around on tour was an insane full circle moment for us. The sound on “Honey” was a split between this and any classic Strokes song.

Kurt Vile: “Blackberry Song”

I love songs that don’t follow a traditional structure. Who cares about verses and choruses if you have a bouncy guitar line and something to sing about?