7/10

When LA-based folk duo Girlpool released their debut album 'Before The World Was Big' back in 2015, the pair showed us exactly how raucous it was possible to be with almost nothing but a couple of guitars and voices in the mix. Now onto their sophomore release, the couple have enlisted some bass and drums to their backline, which certainly gives this record a different production but still remains mostly focused on the direction they originally created.

While their debut full-length was very much a mix of rowdy and subdued affairs, 'Powerplant' seems more keen to keep itself on the latter, showing off more of their traditional folk inspirations. It also sounds like they have grown more as a musical pairing. While their last album had this raw, rough-around-the-edges feel to it, this time around we are hearing a far more succinct style of play that shows that they have been looking to evolve their ambitions in the break.

It certainly makes for a pleasing return. It may not have the urgency and punk aesthetic of their first, but still manages to give us a bold and impressive collection of new material that definitely chooses to go against expectation.