San Francisco five-piece The Gum Tree Girls take their name from a ’60s grassroots organization that fought to save Glen Canyon. That alone should tell you something about the band’s ethics—and what to expect from their music.

The cover of their debut album Zoanne screams Girls in the Garage, but it’s actually a photo taken out in nature. That playful contradiction sets the tone for the whole record. Mix in some nursery rhyme-style lyrics of rebellion and ecological resistance (“Goodbye Joshua Tree, you got some needles stuck in me”) with simple, effective instrumentation, and you get a mix of primitive lo-fi punk, garage rock, and the occasional dip into underground indie pop (Gingerbread Houses). Zoanne veers from the bouncy (and referee-whistle-infested) Hitch-Hike, to fast, furious, and howling (Serenity), all with plenty of tongue-in-cheek attitude. Just before closing out with their pretty outrageous theme song (GTG Anthem), the band drops a fun version of Gary Numan’s Are ‘Friends’ Electric?—a cover I didn’t even recognize at first.

I’m not sure I love every moment on Zoanne, but I’m definitely on board with this band.

Add to wantlist: Bandcamp