Parenthetical Girls was an experimental pop band formed in Everett, Washington in 2002, and disbanded in 2013.
History
Begun primarily as a recording project between Zac Pennington and Jeremy Cooper, the band, originally known as Swastika Girls, went through several line-up changes, all sharing a variety of instrumental duties, and was known for its revolving-door policy to membership, with Pennington the only constant. Other members, like Jherek Bischoff and former touring musician Sam Mickens (both of the band The Dead Science) continued to contribute to the group's recorded output, though neither toured with the band.
Following Cooper's departure, Pennington released (((GRRRLS))), the band's vinyl-only debut album on his own Slender Means Society label in 2004. Recorded with the help of Jherek Bischoff and Jamie Stewart (the latter of Xiu Xiu), (((GRRRLS))) featured different mixes of the seven songs on each side of the record.
This was followed by the digital-only self-release of their second Christmas-themed EP Christmas with Parenthetical Girls that same year, as well as their second album Safe as Houses (released by Slender Means Society in the United States and Acuarela Discos in Europe), the expanded CD reissue of the (((GRRRLS))) album, and a third self-released Christmas EP A Parenthetical Girls Family Christmas in 2006. A split 7-inch with the band The Dead Science was released by Obsolete Vernacular in 2007.
After the release of Safe as Houses, the band's lineup was mostly solidified for the remainder of the 2000s as Pennington was joined by multi-instrumentalists Rachael Jenson and Matt Carlson, with percussionist Eddy Crichton joining soon after. Bischoff remained in his role as producer. This lineup would write and record Entanglements, an orchestra-influenced album, which was released in September 2008 as a split release via Tomlab and Slender Means Society.
Beginning in 2010, the band released a series of limited 12" EPs which would later be compiled into their 2013 album Privilege. The records were sold through Pennington's Slender Means Society label directly to fans, rather than distributed to record stores. At the end of the cycle, the fifth record came packaged with a box to house all the releases. The release was notable as each record was hand-numbered in the blood of the band number featured on the cover. The first 12", entitled Privilege, Pt. I: On Dead And Endearments, was released February 23, 2010 and was numbered in the blood of lead singer Zac Pennington. The second Privilege EP, subtitled The Past, Imperfect, was released on September 21, 2010. Privilege (Abridged), was released on February 14, 2013, containing 12 tracks taken from the five Privilege EPs. Through this period, the Entanglements lineup slowly fractured until only Pennington remained, backed on tour by Amber Smith and Paul Alcott for the final two releases until 2013, when the project became dormant.
Breakup
On June 19, 2017, Pennington announced his new project, Comedienne, which includes Deerhoof's Greg Saunier and longtime collaborator Jherek Bischoff. The announcement came alongside news that Parenthetical Girls is officially defunct.
As of 2019, Pennington is engaged in a project, entitled Popular Music, alongside Prudence Rees-Lee. They released their first album, a collection of covers from pop culture called Popular Music Plays in Darkness, on November 20, 2020.
Discography
Albums
2004 (((GRRRLS))) 2006 Safe as Houses 2008 Entanglements 2013 Privilege (Abridged)