The two-woman duo of Deap Vally packs a familiar punch on their newest release, Femejism, although this is not to say that this record is subpar in any way. Nick Zinner of the Yeah Yeah Yeahs assisted Lindsey Troy and Julie Edwards in the production of this album, and that is exactly the reason why many of the tracks hark back to the early Fever to Tell days of the Yeah Yeah Yeahs such as the first two tracks, “Royal Jelly” and “Julian.” Troy’s vocals project in an oxymoronic “harmonious clashing” of sorts on the entirety of the record, and while some listeners may grow tired of occasionally overdone garage-rock tracks, there is no denying the attitude of defiance Femejism is filled with.
One of the most explosively rebellious tracks on the album, “Gonnawanna” contains Troy switching back and forth between yelling her desire to do whatever she wants to and talking in further detail (as well as in expletives) of truly how free she is. It is tracks like “Gonnawanna” that carry the message of the album through, not by being a great stand-alone track, but being the spider that has spun the web through which all the other tracks are masterfully, yet vigorously woven together. Full of heavy guitar riffs, bluesy and howling vocals, as well as a destruction of the patriarchy, Femejism is primal sound at its core.
Recommended If You Like: Yeah Yeah Yeahs, The Dead Weather, The White Stripes, The Black Keys
Recommended Tracks: 1, 2, 7, 8
Do Not Play: 3, 4, 5, 6
Written by Andrew Chavez on 11/03/2016