*Published by Milk Crate on July 28, 2022
The irony of two chicks being in a band called ‘Guyville’ is not lost on Emily Hulslander and Kat Hamilton.
Guyville is the LA-based rock project spearheaded by Emily Huslander and Kat Hamilton — two exceptionally talented musicians, diligent students of the song, and ardent supporters of one another’s work.
After bonding over the work of Liz Phair in early 2020, the two scheduled their first songwriting session that ended up yielding their first single, “Should Have Never Dated” in just two hours. Huslander and Hamilton have both dealt with their fair share of rough co-writing experiences, both stating that some of their previous endeavors felt like “pulling teeth,” as the chemistry just wasn’t right. But Hulslander affirms that when it comes to Guyville, it’s like “lightning in a bottle,” going on to say that the two “push each other in the best way. [...] It just works. I'm constantly inspired by [Hamilton’s] writing — she makes me better. That's what you want when you're working with someone. [...] We equal each other out and bring out the better qualities in each other.”
Sensing all of the possibilities within this collaboration after their initial session, the two soon sealed the deal, musically tying-the-knot under the union of a band forevermore. But before everything was set in stone, they had to finalize a name for the project.
While naming a band is often an arduous process for many, Huslander and Hamilton were lucky, quickly deciding upon the catchy moniker of ‘Guyville’ — inspired by Liz Phair’s debut record, Exile in Guyville. The name succinctly captures the project’s essence, Hamilton asserts; “It gives us a very specific image, especially to people who know [Exile in Guyville]. It's like: 'Oh! These people are inspired by Liz Phair, so this must be kind of 90s, kind of rocky.’” And while the two are anxiously awaiting the day that they receive a cease and desist letter from Phair’s management, their slight nerves in no way hinder their immense pride in all that they have accomplished together under the project.
Writing together every Friday during COVID via remote sessions yielded an abundance of songs that are now cleanly packaged within the duo’s soon-to-be-released debut album. Pulling influences from The Beatles, Sheryl Crow, Liz Phair, Phoebe Bridgers and Maren Morris, the record offers listeners 13 tracks of well-rounded, spunky rock goodness.
And while they are quick to acknowledge all of their musical influences, Guyville’s discography is much more than a mere homage to their predecessors. There’s no cutting corners when it comes to what this duo puts out; “Regardless of whether [listeners] like the genre, the songwriting quality is indisputable,” Hamilton affirms. Each song goes through the wringer, as the two try and get as close to perfection as humanly possible before putting their art out to the world. With a heavy inclination toward catchy melodic hooks and masterfully thought-out arrangements, Guyville’s discography offers listeners fully flushed-out hits that work to charm both first-time listeners and long-time fans of Hulslander and Hamilton’s work outside of the band.
“Great songwriting eclipses genre. It doesn't matter what genre you're making it in — you can make it metal, you can make it jazz, you can make it whatever you want — if the song is great, it doesn't matter,” Hamilton affirms. “My approach is: make a great song and then decide what genre or styles lend to the story.”
Besides their signature hooks and roaring rock guitar riffs, Guyville’s lyrics come marked by excessive wit and a particular skill for spinning a narrative that anyone can resonate with. The two adeptly guide listeners through tales of their own misfortune within their almost painfully relatable discography. Covering everything from the catharsis one feels when they’re finally over their ex in “Nothing,” to that classic feeling of wishing that you had never dated someone in “Should Have Never Dated,” Guyville proves that they are a loyal and relatable musical confidant for any circumstance.
Regret is omnipresent within the duo’s released songs, all serving as retrospective outlets for the duo’s experiences with disappointment and, at times, shame.
“Emily and I are people who have leaned into making a lot of mistakes as a way of learning,” Hamilton shares. “We're both people who lean in to experiencing life, even if there’s a risk of some kind, or some kind of cost — versus hiding away from experiences. Unfortunately, there are things we both wish we had done better. You can't change what you did, but your songs can help you understand why, and hopefully let you have more awareness of your actions.”
“You just hope that you can write something for someone else to relate to [...],” Hulslander agrees, saying, “We hope to be able to tell our story, and even with its specificities, I think everyone can relate to the general feelings we're sharing via song.”
A standout track when it comes to relatability is the duo’s most recent release: “Boys + Girls w/ Guitars,” a powerful tune that shares the unforetold woes of falling in love with a musician. Hulslander and Hamilton are quick to recognize that no one is completely immune to being charmed by a talented person with a guitar; even if they know that eventual heartbreak is a guarantee. The two lament their vulnerability to these alluring guitar-clad figures, singing: “All they do is break my heart in two / God, I can’t believe it,” before reluctantly admitting “But I know I’ll always do it again,” on the back end.
“I jokingly call myself a sonic sexual [...],” Hulslander shares, when revealing the inspiration behind the track. “I've found myself attracted to people, that physically I'm not attracted to, but the moment we start talking about an early Beatles cut, I'm like, 'Oh my God, marry me!'” The act of creating music with another human puts minds under the influence of a rose-tinted purview; you’re putting descriptions of these deep emotions to beautiful melodies — and thus, it can be incredibly easy to mistake the mere coincidence of liking the same band as a marriage proposal in disguise.
“We really could have had a great band. [‘Boys+Girls w/Guitars’ came] from a place of wondering what would have happened if I hadn't gotten together with ‘insert name here’ — we probably would still be creating music together.” Hulslander adds. “That makes me sad, but it's part of learning, living and hopefully not repeating yourself.” Though, if those previous collaborations had worked out, there is a large chance that the world would be bereft of Guyville.
This spirited collaboration comes marked with joyful camaraderie, as the two take every opportunity to share what they know the other excels at. Their genuine love for one another and the music that they are creating makes the project a truly worthy endeavor that they become more confident in with every passing day.
As independent artists making their way through the chaos of today’s oversaturated music industry, the two find their strength to continue persevering through it all by firmly standing by their work. Hamilton is a firm proponent of energetically and unashamedly loving something: “It is so important to be unapologetically excited about something, and work against society's pressure for you to be apathetic and cool about it,” she explains. “I really hope that listeners will feel unapologetically excited about what we're doing, instead of trying to find ways to downplay liking it. There's power in really loving something, wanting to show people, and being excited.”
Huslander agrees following up, “If you don't believe in the work, it's going to be really hard to show up every day and clock in for yourself. [...] There's no doubt in my mind about how I feel about this material. I believe in it, and I will shout it from the rooftops.”
At the end of the day, Hulslander and Hamilton know that they will choose one another again and again. Guyville is something that brings them a unique kind of joy that never waivers in its strength. “We're doing it because we love each other, and we love the work we do together,” Hulsander shares. Guyville’s artistry is constantly expanding, and the two could not be happier about where they are headed. “We're very lucky to be able to be creating our own adventure,” Hamilton adds.
The adventure of Guyville is just beginning. Stay on the lookout for the duo’s debut record, but for now, you can keep up with Guyville by following them on Instagram, and by streaming their tunes from wherever you get your music.
