First and foremost, I love an album that kicks off with a song about blaming a man*!!!
Much like Beth, I was hooked on "Blame Brett" after the first time I heard it on my curated Spotify "getting ready" mix (I gather from all the MUNA, Maggie Rogers, Jenny Lewis, boygenius, etc.). A perfect lead single, it's giving retro '70s straight up rock and roll and '90s grunge with a dose of Pat Benatar vulnerability. Lyrically, the song feels like a 2023 answer to Rilo Kiley's "Portion for Foxes," both of which are about filling an emotional void with sex. In Rilo Kiley's, the notion of "baby I'm bad news" is steeped in loneliness, while the Beaches' iteration gives a lot more agency to the protagonist who claims, "Right now it's about me. Me and only 'bout me."
God, I love women being selfish. I mean that sincerely. The first time I listened to the song, I wondered if it was a parody of the male gaze, or the standard male artist's perspective. The outright boldness to say, "I'm using you for sex because I don't want therapy." Men saying that? TIRED. TYPICAL. TRITE. The Beaches? I'm gooped! But under all of that, the line "heartbreak is impossible" cuts right through.
Suffice it to say, the rest of the album has quite a lot to live up to. Though nothing grabbed me quite like "Blame Brett," I loved the Hole callback that was "What Doesn't Kill You Makes You Paranoid," and the utter danceability of "Kismet." This band seems like a good time, right? Doesn't listening to this make you want to see them live? Make out in a sweaty bar like you're some 25 year old?
Though of course there's plenty of melancholy here too, especially from "Shower Beer" on. They start with a punch to the face and end the album with a kick to the gut. ROCK AND ROLL! It's in those moodier songs where I think the production could use some sharper edges. The message gets lost in the lo-fi.
I look forward to even more listens and finding new things to appreciate. It's got layers, people!
*Joke**
**Not a joke
No comments:
Post a Comment