LISTEN: Daughter – ‘Arise, Daughters Of Marsha’

The debut release from transgender black metal project Daughter, ‘Arise, Daughters of Marsha’ is a battle cry summoning the global community to stand up for trans rights. The track begins with a scream that acts as Daughter’s mission statement, not just with this single but the full upcoming EP. Vocalist and songwriter “Deadname” aims to channel the trauma of the trans experience in contemporary society through the brutal, aching sound of black metal.

The lyrics are delivered in a guttural scream that feels like it has been ripped violently from her throat. Shrieking guitars and rapid drums echo the feeling in the vocals, without compromising on the absorbing quality of the beat or the melodic riffs. An almost military-sounding rhythm adds a looming sense of dread to the track, compounded by the ominous wailing stings.

In this song, Deadname allows herself to cast aside the composure with which she, as a trans woman, is expected to carry herself with at all times in public; to act as a representative of her community against the vitriol of transphobic commentators. Instead, this track is raw and honest and seethes with the pain and rage that come as an extremely understandable reaction to the treatment of trans people right now, as news stories of transphobic attacks are increasingly, tragically frequent.

Savage riffs and blasting beats ramp up to a churning storm of music, until it ends by sampling some massively poignant lines from Sylvia Rivera’s ‘Y’all Better Quiet Down‘ speech from 1973, in which she exposes the hypocrisy of trans-exclusionary queer people. She reminds the world how much abuse trans women have historically faced when standing up for queer liberation only to be shunned by other members of their own community. “You all treat me this way? What the fuck’s wrong with you all?” The fact that these words are still so powerfully relevant more than fifty years later, with “charities” claiming to support the queer community but explicitly and unashamedly excluding trans people, gives this track a sucker-punch finish that leaves you unable to ignore the importance of the conversation Daughter generates with this poignant and necessary debut.

Kirstie Summers
@ActuallyKurt

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WATCH: Joanna and The Dropouts – ‘Sold Your Soul’

An homage to old school horror in both style and substance, ‘Sold Your Soul‘ gives the classic tale of a deal with the devil a distinct Joanna and The Dropouts twist. 

The track kicks off with throbbing bass and quick drums to set the mood, perfectly matching the softly lit cocktail bar where the video takes place. A catchy upbeat guitar riff and resounding keyboard hooks create the kind of spooky vibes that suggest the most glamorous vampire you’ve ever seen will loom out of the shadows and offer you something irresistible. Building with driving, urgent beats, a sense of danger is generated, hinting at the trap you’re being lured into.

The opening lines evoke the age-old tale instantly: “You sold your soul for a cheap thrill”. The verses warn of the pitfalls of such an agreement, of the curse that comes hidden with the temptation the devil offers. But the chorus inevitably circles back to “Shaking heads with the devil / Gonna get me some trouble”. The final line of the chorus hammers home the message of the song, that taking the easy option, when rewards are not earned but come at an awful price, can never match a life experienced authentically – “Really living is the steepest risk”.

‘Sold Your Soul’ plays with an iconic story, and makes a lot of stylistic choices that you’d expect to go with it. The bar bathed in red light, the decorative plants that draw attention to the thorns on beautiful roses. But Joanna and The Dropouts infuse the song with so much of their own personality that it still feels original, despite the clear nods to their influences. It is incredibly easy to be drawn into all the fun the band are evidently having with both the track and video.

Watch the spooky new video for ‘Sold Your Soul’ here, ahead of the release of Joanna and The Dropouts’ upcoming new EP:

Kirstie Summers
@ActuallyKurt

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WATCH: pink suits – ‘A Comprehensive Breakdown of How Trickle-Down Economics Works’

Ahead of the release of their upcoming second album, Dystopian Hellscape, on 1st April, Margate duo pink suits have shared a compelling new single. The ambitiously titled ‘A Comprehensive Breakdown Of How Trickle-down Economics Works‘ promises to condense a volatile debate that economists have examined at great length into the (impressively, impossibly brief length) of a single track.

Trickle-down economics is the idea that it is beneficial to all of society to offer tax breaks to the wealthiest individuals and businesses in the world, allowing them to keep more money in their own accounts rather than the government re-distributing it to meet the needs of wider society. The logic behind this is that the hyper-rich will use that wealth of their own volition to stimulate the economy through their own purchases as well as developing businesses that provide jobs to working class people, as well as supporting social causes out of the goodness of their own hearts.

In a world where everyone has a fixed maximum capacity on the amount of money and assets they can have, this would make some element of sense, as they would be forced to redistribute those resources somehow anyway. However, in the real world, where the wealthy are not only allowed but actively encouraged, rewarded and honoured for hoarding more resources than they could ever possibly need, this simply isn’t the case. Studies conducted over many decades show that there is no correlation between more wealth and higher economic output and that the opposite is significantly more likely as the gap between rich and poor widens at increasingly alarming rates. When poor people have money, they have no choice but to spend it on the essentials that keep them alive and stimulate the economy. When rich people have money, they are free to let it gather dust indefinitely, rendering huge amounts of global resources with zero economic value.

In writing a song that is just four seconds long, pink Suits have refused to engage with arguments from ideologues who ignore basic facts of reality. They have refused to repeat easily accessible, readily available information. They have made a statement that if you’re not prepared to do your own homework, it’s not their job to educate you. If you want to look like a clown jabbering on about something you demonstrably know nothing about, then you are more than welcome to, but you are not entitled to their time or attention and you should consider yourself grateful that they dignified your argument with these four sweet, simple seconds.

Watch the epic accompanying video and read more about what pink suits have to say about the track below:

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WATCH: Loose Articles – ‘I’d Rather Have A Beer’

Following acclaim from the likes of Craig Charles on BBC 6Music and John Kennedy at Radio X for last year’s EP Chaos, and set to share the stage with Foo Fighters this summer, Manchester band Loose Articles have now announced the release of their debut album later this year.

Our first taste of the album, ‘I’d Rather Have A Beer‘, roars into existence with fuzzy guitar riffs and a bouncy, upbeat rhythm that is instantly catchy. 

The lyrics, delivered in an amazingly dry Mancunian accent, begin reflectively. The opening lines reminisce about the diets and parties of youth, narrowing in on the way teenage girls shape their lives and themselves with the primary aim of impressing boys who wouldn’t make the same effort back. The high energy beat and sense of humour in the vocals give a clear impression that these memories are invoked with some fondness, but nonetheless that they are best left in the past.

The music drops away for the chorus to really drive home the key message of the track: “Now that my thoughts are clear / Instead of you / I’d rather have a beer”. It directly addresses every unsatisfying hook-up from their past and makes it clear that whatever influence they used to have is long gone. Their opinion doesn’t matter, they’re not getting what they want, they are being left behind with the other regrets.

The song as a whole is a warning – about relationships that aren’t going anywhere and people who won’t make the same effort for you that they expect from you. It’s about investing your time and energy into something that has no chance of ever paying off. A reminder to stick with the people who love you and have your back, and to cast aside the time-wasters in favour of a nice drink. It recognises the lingering impact of early connections with the line “high school foolishness affects you when you’re older”, but reminds you that you’re not alone.

There is a real feeling of solidarity about the song. You can feel a bond forming with the band over the shared experience of frustration and the hard lessons you learned from the naive decisions you made in your youth. The joy of the racing musicality invites you to laugh about those embarrassing moments from before you knew better, knowing that you make better choices now.

A perfect, post-punk ode to prioritising your own self worth, having fun with with your pals (over a nice pint) and moving on with your life. Watch the wonderfully chaotic new video here:

Kirstie Summers
@ActuallyKurt

Photo Credit: Sinead Ferguson

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