Teen Girl Scientist Monthly

If the fervor around the Mayan calendar and 2012 proves to be a bit overwhelming, here comes Teen Girl Scientist Monthly, a jangly pop-punk source of 6-piece Brooklyn sunshine to the rescue. I love a good band name and this one qualifies. It paints a little picture of everyday genius types blowing things up and then dancing at the glorious fallout. Add to that alternating currents of male and female lead vocals coupled with solid shake your head rhythms, and somewhere in the mix, you’re on a TGSM spaceship, warping your way through wry observations on life. Imagine if the sounds of the Yeah Yeah Yeahs met the far out visions of the Scissor Sisters, that might be Teen Girl Scientist Monthly.

The band formed in August 2010 and started playing gigs around New York City that very same month. Keeping with some of the old-school DIY ethos of indie pop, Teen Girl Scientist Monthly offers some hand-finished, hand-stenciled releases, two Ep’s so far, with a full-length release planned for Spring 2012.

On the net you can download a few choice MP3s and catch videos they’ve created for their biggest crowd pleasers. If you’re living somewhere in the New York area, this hard-working band of musicians will be playing near you, soon. If you join in their process and clap your hands at a live show, you too can become part of the TGSM picture; in it you’re wearing stripes and wherever you’re going the future seems brightly colored.

1. What is your hometown?

Cathy Thomas (keys, backing vox)

Groveland, MA. No-stoplight town.

Morgan Lynch (vox)

Roots in Berkeley, CA. Branches in Mamaroneck, NY.

Anne Hartung (violin)

Under Your Bed… or, Sun Prairie, WI.

Matt Gliva (bass, backing vox)

Super-Quadro-Borough-Tron.

Hiroyuki “Matsu” Matsuura (drums)

Tokyo.

Matt Berger (guitar, vox)

I’m from Virginia. The band’s from Bushwick.

2. With what fictional character do you most identify?

Cathy

Holden Caulfield, for the band.

Berger

We are insufferable cynics and we hate phonies.

3. In the movie of your life, cast an actor to play you.

Gliva

Dude from Last Temptation of Christ, since the homework’s done.

Cathy

Denzel Washington.

Anne

Janice, from the Muppet band Electric Mayhem.

Matsu

I wanna be the actor of the movie if it’s a paid gig.

Morgan

The cast of “Twilight”.

4. What work of art speaks to your soul?

Morgan

For the band, Damien Hirst’s “The Dream”.

Berger

Anything by Deth P Sun. That covers us pretty well.

5. What books are you currently reading or recommending?

Matsu

Kazuo Ishiguro’s “The Unconsoled”. I recommend Ishiguro’s “Never Let Me Go”. I guess a lot of people find his works boring because many of his novels are not exciting stories and contain only subtle and insignificant incidents. But he is a genius of beautifully describing very delicate emotional changes and sensitive ‘air’ in his stories. I also recommend Malcolm Gladwell’s “Outliers”.

Morgan

Just read “Just Kids”. Currently augmenting it with Arthur Rimbaud’s poetry and wanting to be Patti Smith. The Yogic Sutra’s of Patanjali.

Anne

“House of Leaves”. “Everybody Poops”.

Cathy

“The Life of Pi”!

Gliva

“Player Piano” and “Raise High the Roof Beam Carpenters!”

Berger

I just bought the first 20 books in the “Choose Your Own Adventure” series. Also, “Skippy Dies” by Paul Murray.

6. What song or album is currently in heavy rotation on your iPod?

Berger

Twin Sister’s In Heaven.

Morgan

According to my “Recently Played” folder, I have been listening to Fugees, Laura Marling, Rilo Kiley, Miles Davis and NOFX in heavy rotation.

Matsu

A lot of demo tracks and rehearsal takes of the artists I work with: TGSM, Grace McLean, Shaina Taub, Ganessa James, Burning Gums…

Anne

Teen Girl Scientist Monthly. They Might Be Giants. The Flaming Lips.

Cathy

The Avett Brothers.

Gliva

I do not own and never have owned an iPod.

7. What’s the last movie that made you cry?

Cathy

“The Fountain”. I’m not proud.

Anne

“Cowboys and Aliens”. I am not ashamed.

Berger

Does it count if it’s homemade? Cuz Morgan-

Morgan

I don’t want to talk about it.

8. Cat person or dog person?

Morgan

We’re a fish person. We shouldn’t be given that much responsibility.

9. What is more important, truth or kindness?

Gliva

I’m going to lie here and say kindness.

Cathy

Truth.

Morgan

Kindness. We lack strength in numbers.

Matsu

It depends on contexts. I would say You and I are more important.

Rest of Band

…

10. How do you define sin?

Gliva

And here I thought I’d never be confronted with Calculus again.

Morgan

Not living and loving like every moment could be your last. Passing up free Bourbon.

Anne

Old Man Fiction Quarterly.

Matsu

Something YOU think you shouldn’t do but can’t avoid doing. Ultimately, nothing is sin in a wider view.

Rest of Band

…

11. How do you define virtue?

Cathy

Cathy Thomas.

Anne

“Don’t be a dick.”

Matsu

Something that makes perfect justice. There is nothing perfect or even just, so in the end, you cannot execute virtue. So whatever you do is sin. But once again, nothing is sin. The notion of sin and virtue is a value and reflection of religions, society, and morale. Or is it just a mental puzzle to play with?

Gliva

I never answer the 11th question on a questionnaire. For personal reasons.

Morgan

Cathy Thomas.

12. Design your headstone: What does it say? What does it look like?

Anne

“We rocked. We rolled. We popped. Viva la T-gsm.” And the stone is shaped like a rocket ship.

Berger

“America’s First and Finest Time Traveling Playboy. Hero.”

Cathy

“Here lies the epitome of virtue,” and the stone is shaped like a cupcake!

Bonus Question: Who would you like to see answer these questions?

Cathy

Denzel Washington.

Morgan

Patti Smith.

Matsu

God. If there is such a thing.

Berger

Jesus, Matsu. Stop it. You’re scaring Anne.

Connections:
Teen Girl Scientist Monthly