Parenthetical Girls (formerly The Swastika Girls) is an experimental pop band formed in Everett, Washington, and based currently in Portland, Oregon.
Begun primarily as a recording project, the actual touring ensemble consists of vocalist
Zac Pennington,
Rachael Jensen,
Eddy Crichton and
Matthew Carlson, all sharing a variety of instrumental duties. Former touring members
Jherek Bischoff and
Sam Mickens (of the band
Dead Science, The) still join them for recording sessions.
Their music is notable for its combination of saccharine pop and experimental elements, and has been compared with such disparate acts as
Brian Eno,
Philip Glass,
Xiu Xiu and
Phil Spector.
Originally taking their name from the
Brian Eno composition "Swastika Girls", original members Zac Pennington and Jeremy Cooper self-released their limited run debut EP Christmas With Swastika Girls in 2002. After Cooper left the band, they changed their name and Pennington released (((GRRRLS))), the band's vinyl-only debut album on his own
Slender Means Society label in 2004. This got recorded with the help of
Jherek Bischoff and
Jamie Stewart (2) (of Xiu Xiu fame), (((GRRRLS))) A split 7-inch with the band
Dead Science, The was released by
Obsolete Vernacular in 2007. In 2008 they switched labels to Germany's Indietronic source
Tomlab.