Change doesn’t have to be drastic to be effective. Maison Book Girl’s “Narrow Story” changes the junior-high-band-room sound up ever so slightly, but manages enough to feel like a total pivot into a new direction. But it really isn’t — Maison Book Girl lean in on a mix of xylophone notes, tag-team vocals and all-together-now vocals to create a dramatic idol-pop number. Few groups have as much mastery over a specific sonic palette as Maison — most of the other examples I can think of mainly release on Wasabi Tapes. But here’s an idol group that has figured out how to make drama work for them, and always make a familiar sound come off as new in their grips. Listen above.
