Just like Childbirth does in “Siri, Open Tinder,” it’s really easy to just schlub off a lot of music that’s out there and easily accessible nowadays. This album you really shouldn’t swipe left on it though, you should listen to it now. ASAP, immediately, pronto.
Childbirth is made up of members from stellar groups: Chastity Belt, Tacocat, and Pony Time. Watermarks from each band make themselves apparent in Childbirth’s music from Tacocat’s surf inflected jangle to Chastity Belt’s smoky production and raw vocals. This album is packed with razor sharp guitars and insistent drums, call back vocals and lyrics that come off like a stand up routine.
“Cool Mom” is about future goals and “Nasty Girls” is a lifestyle anthem. Those aren’t the only two good tracks though, “Breast Coast” is angelic, “Let’s be Bad” is a hot night out, and “Since When Are You Gay?” with all of its classic girlband sound, is a refreshingly funny (and sad) spin on typically girlband subject matter.
Speaking of subject matter, despite the fun, active vibe of the whole album, there’s also a sense of complete hopelessness. Childbirth’s songs are all about the society we live in and how our society views and treats women. The lyrics don’t glorify the treatment of women though, instead the songs reflect a sense of awareness that sees the wrongs perpetrated on women by both women and men and they take these injustices and add self-depreciating humor and casual mockery. Dismantling the misogyny and putting it back together again as a punchline, a thing to be laughed at and derided; that’s what Childbirth does with their songs to supplement their high energy performances.
What isn’t there to love about this album? It is uncomplicated yet full of hard hitting social commentary, it grooves, it laughs at everyone, and it’s the hottest thing to hit college radio. Put this at the top of your rockin’ queue, it’s better than most things.
Recommended If You Like: The Slits, Chastity Belt, L7, Sleater-Kinney
Recommended Tracks: 2 (Nasty Girls), 6 (Siri, Open Tinder), 7 (Cool Mom), 8 (Let’s Be Bad), 9 (Since When Are You Gay?), 12 (Baby Bump)
Do Not Play: 10 (Julia Shapiro)
Written by PJ Moon on 10/21/15