ALBUM: Camp Cope – ‘How To Socialise & Make Friends’

A deeply personal record channeling frustration, disappointment & fear into a creative, cathartic force for change, Aussie rockers Camp Cope have released their highly anticipated second album How To Socialise & Make Friends via Run For Cover.

The album was recorded over two days at Holes and Corners in South Melbourne with Sam Johnson in October 2017 and has been met with as much excitement and acclaim as their self-titled debut, which was shortlisted for the Australian Music Prize. They sold out two shows at Sydney Opera House, headlined Melbourne’s Weekender Fest 2017 and toured the US for the first time in  2017 with Worriers. Now, they’re back with How To Socialise & Make Friendss, nine tracks that prove Georgia Maq (vocals/guitar), Kelly-Dawn Hellmrich’s (bass) and Sarah Thompson’s (drums) songwriting has been strengthened through experience and sounds as fresh, observant and witty as ever.

‘The Opener’ is a sarcastic, spot-on aural record of the pervasive misogyny female bands encounter in the music industry. “It’s another man telling us to book a smaller venue,” sings Georgia – daring her antagonist with the line “Tell me again how there just aren’t that many girls in the music scene” – before her aggressive Aussie intonation shows man-splainers exactly where they can take their opinions.

It breezes into the eponymous ‘How To Socialise & Make Friends’, which ruminates on personal lessons, unnecessary apologies and making more room for yourself, with Georgia’a image of riding a bike whilst “waving goodbye” resonating throughout. ‘The Face Of God’ is a raw account of sexual assault and the shame and isolation that follows such a traumatic experience. Lyrics like “I had to say ‘no’ and ‘stop’ more than once” and “I slept in the middle of the bed / in the comfort of my own choices” ring out with a simultaneous sadness and strength. The band have turned a sharp and unfair lesson into a brave, independent statement here.

Following track ‘Anna’ is a tune about sisterhood and female friendship and an excuse to “get it all out, put it in a song”, whilst ‘Sagan-Indiana’ is an ode to the peace you find in your interactions with kind strangers. ‘The Omen’ is a mature vow not to hurt the people we need the most, with the reflective and guilty line “we’ve all made our Mother cry,” whilst ‘Animal & Real’ is another tune about much needed self-acceptance.

The retrospective ‘UFO Lighter’ is apologetic – “I said I was sorry about that line / I only wrote it ‘cos it rhymed,” but defiant, “he expected that I was gonna fail and run back / well, fuck that” and precedes the emotional, stripped back album closer, ‘I’ve Got You’. Georgia sings of her late father’s battle with cancer here and how their separation has ultimately strengthened the bond between them.

Listening to Camp Cope’s How To Socialise & Make Friends is a rewarding, entertaining experience that’ll have you manically fluctuating between laughter, rage, grief and joy. It’s a record that feels entirely authentic and most importantly, one that shows all girls that you can break free from whatever, or whoever is holding you back.

How To Socialise & Make Friends here. Follow Camp Cope on Facebook for more updates.

Kate Crudgington
@KCBobCut

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WATCH: Alice Bag – ’77’

If you need something inspiring to motivate you during these ridiculously cold, and depressingly dark, times, then look no further. Punk legend Alice Bag has brought together a dream team if ever there was one – Riot Grrrl queens Kathleen Hanna and Allison Wolfe, plus an appearance from Shirley Manson – to bring us the perfect angst-driven anthem.

Much like Dolly Parton’s 1980 proto-feminist workplace comedy ‘9 to 5′, ’77’ comments on the gender pay gap that still plagues society nearly forty years after the country star’s film theme-song. With a fantastically tongue-in-cheek video that sees Hanna, Wolfe and Bag each fake typing in coloured wigs, the women not only rage that “I make 77 cents and it’s not right / It’s bad for women!”, but make the point that “it’s worse if you’re not white” and insist that “it’s time for change…”

Filled with seething, punk-driven riffs, ’77’ is an empowering, inspiring call to arms to unite against the patriarchy and make the changes needed for equality, in the workplace and beyond. As Bag poignantly sneers “… don’t pretend that we’re paid equal… You wrote the script / But I’m writing the sequel.”

Watch the wonderful video for ’77’ here:

Blueprint, the upcoming album from Alice Bag, is out 23rd March.

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WATCH: Rebecca Lou – ‘Bitch U Look Good!’

Having been writing songs since 2015, Danish artist Rebecca Lou has fast been building a reputation across Denmark for her high-octane live shows, including a support slot with rockers Velvet Volume on tour last year. Now, she has blasted into our ears with her seething debut single.

Celebrating body confidence in the face of the prescriptive ideals society often pushes on us, ‘Bitch U Look Good!’ is a riotous, empowering anthem. Filled with the gritty, angst-driven power of Rebecca’s vocals alongside thrashing riffs and a ferocious, frenzied energy, it’s a rip-roaring slice of Riot Grrrl-inspired punk-rock. A perfectly refreshing dose of impassioned self-confidence.

Find out more about Rebecca Lou and her hard-hitting debut in this exclusive video interview:

And watch the new video for ‘Bitch U Look Good!’ here:

Mari Lane
@marimindles

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PLAYLIST: Galentine’s Day 2018

Grrrls, it’s the best day of the year: GALENTINE’S DAY! Coined by Parks and Recreation character Leslie Knope (played by Amy Poehler) back in 2010, Galentine’s has since been recognised by girls across the globe, and used as a light-hearted platform to celebrate the girls and women who enrich our lives.

We wanted to celebrate it with you in the best way possible: by chucking some of our favourite female artists on a big old playlist. We’re all about self-love & sisterly love today, so scroll down, press play, and share that big ol’ Galentines love!

Bikini Kill – ‘Rebel Girl’ 
What can I say? The ultimate anthem for female unity and sisterly love. Singing of the affection and admiration felt for a best friend, Kathleen Hanna reminds us of the importance of telling the queens of our world how much they mean to us. (Mari Lane)

The Nyx – ‘Myself’
I told you The Nyx would feature on all of our playlists this year! Chuck ‘Myself’ on whenever you start to doubt how great you are. It’s a reminder that you are enough, which is something Mari & Tash are quick to say to me whenever I’m having a bad day. Thanks Grrrls. (Kate Crudgington)

Chromatics – ‘Girls Just Wanna Have Fun’
A great cover of a great track. ‘Girls Just Wanna Have Fun’ always reminds me of a story about this 60 year old Italian woman who walked into her local fire station as she was having trouble with her lock. When the firemen asked the woman where she lived, thinking she’d locked herself out of her house, she lifted her sweater and showed them her chastity belt. (Tash Walker)

Chastity Belt – ‘Joke’
Which leads me nicely on to my next track by Chastity Belt. This was one of the bands I discovered at the start of Get In Her Ears, all those years ago, and just reminds me so much of what it was like at the start of it all. Three years on here’s to my two GIHE gals Mari & Kate, and all of the jokes we’ve had along the way. (TW)

Wolf Alice – ‘Bros’
Taken from their knockout debut album My Love Is Cool, ‘Bros’ is one of my favourite Wolf Alice tracks. The video shows two young girls eating chips, colouring each others nails in with felt tip pens, and climbing trees; all past-times my siblings & I used to indulge in as kids. Waves of nostalgic joy smother me every time I hear this beautiful track. (KC)

Kesha – ‘Bastards’ 
What would a GIHE playlist be without a Kesha choice from me…? “Don’t let the bastards get you down, don’t let the assholes wear you out.” – wise words from the artist, and ones which we’ve all recited to our friends as we’ve hugged and sought strength from each other during tough times. (ML)

Pretenders – ‘Alone’
I was lucky enough to see the Pretenders live last year, and they opened their Hammersmith Apollo set with this anthem of independence. Chrissie Hynde is the ultimate example of a woman making her way through the world with talent, stamina, and absolutely no apologies. (KC)

Shirley Ellis – ‘Soul Time’
I love this song, it’s just so much fun and completely infectious. Shirley Ellis often unfairly categorised as a novelty act by many music historians has a well earned place in the history of American soul.  Funky, sophisticated and sassy.  All the sisterly love for her! (TW)

Miss Eaves – ‘Thunder Thighs’ 
This is a fantastically empowering and uplifting anthem for all us gals – encouraging us to celebrate and take pride our body, whatever shape or size it may be. Thank you, Miss Eaves, for this wonderful lesson in self-love. (ML)

TLC – ‘No Scrubs’
This track is almost a decade old, but it’s still the best thing to spin after you’ve been mugged off by a fuckboy, or when you’re getting ready to paint the town red with your girl gang. (KC)

Ji Nilsson & Marlene – ‘Love You Anyway’
Released back in 2014 this was the first song that jumped to mind for this Galentine’s Day playlist, Love You Anyway is all about female friendship. The lyrics speak of solidarity but with a slight note of sadness, combined with the enchanting quality to the music the whole thing intertwined together is mesmerising. (TW)

Nicki Minaj & Beyonce – ‘Feeling Myself’ 
This perfect collaboration between Queen B and Nicki Minaj offers a super uplifting and witty message of self confidence and female unity, with a massive middle finger up to society’s expectations of girls having to be ‘good’/modest in order to be respected. (ML)

Peaches – ‘Boys Wanna Be Her’ 
Although each track on the incredible Impeach My Bush is a pretty hard-hitting, empowering masterpiece, ‘Boys Wanna Be Her’ is just a perfect celebratory anthem; as Peaches explains – “It’s just a celebration. Seriously. I want it to be like a post-gender and post-age celebration of becoming who you are.” (ML)

Dream Nails – ‘LoveFuck’
Dream Nails are all about self love and sisterhood, and I never get tired of their music or their inspiring activism. Whether you’re newly single, happily single, or fed up of being single: this track is designed to restore your faith in the good fucks again. Hang in there girls. They’re out there waiting for ya. (KC)

Deap Vally – ‘Smile More’ 
I just love this powerful and refreshingly tongue-in-cheek offering from this incredible duo. With lyrics such as “I am not ashamed of my mental state/And I am not ashamed of my body weight…”, ‘Smile More’ is the perfect motivational mantra that incites in me a strength to get up and face the world. (ML)

Savages – ‘When In Love’
I remember scoring last minute tickets to see Savages’ sold out Roundhouse gig back in 2016 and feeling so excited I nearly threw up at my desk. I went on my own to see them in the flesh, and it was one of the best things I’ve ever witnessed. I’ll always remember Jehnny Beth telling her crowd that this track was about knowing how love is going to fuck you up, but you should have the nerve to go ahead and pursue it anyway. A reckless, but  brilliant piece of advice. (KC)

Carole King – ‘You’ve Got A Friend’ 
Having sung this at my loved ones many a time, ‘You’ve Got A Friend’ fills me with emotion on each listen. An uplifting message of unity and platonic love, Carole King once again continues to inspire me, my mother before me, and women everywhere, with this beautiful, heartfelt anthem. (ML)

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