In a word, Girl Scout’s “I Just Needed You To Know” is immediate. Upon pressing play, the band meets you with a rush of adrenaline, and there’s little relenting on their account from that moment on. Perhaps riding on the wave of momentum from their 2023 projects Real Life Human Garbage and Granny Music, Girl Scout’s sense of urgency is contagious on the track, spread across the drums, guitars, and eventually vocals of Emma Jansson. Even after their high-volume of releases last year, the Swedish band still clearly has more to say - and they need you to know it. 

If “I Just Needed You To Know” sounds of-the-moment, it’s for good reason. “‘I Just Needed You To Know’ was birthed during a spontaneous jam session in the middle of rehearsing for tour,” Jansson explains. “Starting with Viktor (Spasov, guitar) toying with the opening riff, almost the entire song was just the band playing in a room with the mics rolling. We wanted the raw energy of the song to remain, so not much has been done to it.” With enough ‘90’s edge to give the track a bite, Jansson uses the song’s lyrics to delve into the differences in generations when it comes to acceptance of one’s circumstances. “The phrase “it is what it is” is one that I hear a lot amongst the older generations,” she says. “To me, it feels like a way to avoid acknowledging hard times or difficult feelings. It’s such a stifling phrase. What if that’s not enough? What if I want more than to grit my teeth and move on? I think there is a clear generational divide when it comes to the language surrounding mental health, and the willingness to understand the causes behind it.” 

“I Just Needed You To Know” figures to fit nicely in Girl Scout’s setlist for their upcoming live shows, of which there are plenty, though varying in circumstance. The band, which also includes Per Lindberg (drums) and Evelina Arvidsson Eklind (bass), will spend much of their early summer on the road in Europe, having just completed a string of headlining dates and are now set to join Alvvays on tour. With some festival dates approaching across the continent as well, fans will have plenty of opportunities to feel the rush of Girl Scout’s catalog in the near future. 

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