What I’ve Been Listening to Lately

As someone who’s always on the lookout for new bands to support, I love Spotify. As someone who understands how that platform treats artists who aren’t Taylor Swift, I hate it. I would like to redact my statement in a prior post about buying the CEO of Spotify a gift basket and shaking his hand. Now I’d like to give him a stern talking to.

Regardless, I’m constantly checking the recommended and made for you playlists to see what I can discover. At least then I can curtail the financial fuckery by buying small artists' merch and seeing them on tour.

But anyway, I wanted to share a few recent discoveries with you from Spotify and other, less capitalistic sources:

Skating Polly

Skating Polly is like Nirvana meets Babes in Toyland meets L7 meets a sprinkle of indie pop. I’m really bad at describing music, actually. Explaining them as a mishmash of other bands doesn’t fully capture their unique sound, but it’s what I got. They refer to themselves as ugly pop, and I think that’s super fitting.

I saw these guys live in St. Louis recently, and their energy was electrifying. Their vocals vibrate among singing, screeching, quavering, and yelling. Deeply feminine anger and melancholy. Poetically rich lyrics. It’s great. Start with the album The Big Fit and explore from there.

Gully Boys

These guys opened for Skating Polly, actually. That’s how I first came to know them and their incredible, contagious energy, energy far too big for the tiny basement we were in. I was in awe. I was hooked. Queer rage, angst, and joy in one delightful package tied together by a POC drummer/singer? Love.

Also they’re not boys, just to be clear. Women and nonbinary members only. I’m loving the rise of queer/female-led punk, and Gully Boys have earned a spot at the helm. Dare I say, listening to them on Spotify doesn’t do their aggression or power justice. The studio stifles a band like this. Check out their collection of demos, Not So Brave, then go see them live ASAP.

The Birthday Massacre

The Birthday Massacre rolls synth, new wave, electronica, and rock into one ethereal experience. It’s the kind of music a bunch of 33-year-old goths would dance to in a dive bar basement, and that’s a compliment.

Some of their songs are too airy and synthy for my liking, but the ones that swell from dreamy electronics into a climactic, hard-rock chorus are great. Their general vibe is like a kid walking through a forest in a dream that slowly turns into a nightmare. There’s a sense of childhood wonder, loss, and uncertainty going on. Pins and Needles and Walking With Strangers are good starting points.

Blues Pills

I mean, their name is pretty self-explanatory. They play blues, but heavier, poppier, and more modern. Their songs are on a spectrum that goes from dirt-black grit to light pop rock, but no matter where a track happens to fall, Elin Larsson’s vocals are always powerful.

Their self-titled first album is my favorite for sure. The bluesiest of the bunch, it makes you think of cigarette smoke in a dirty bar, Woodstock, Janis Joplin. I haven’t had the privilege of seeing Blues Pills live, but I look forward to the day that I can.

Doechii

I was once a fool who believed she wasn’t a hip hop or rap girlie. I used to be one of those weirdos who was like, “I OnLy LiStEn To RoCk AcTuAlLy.” My sister showed me the error of my ways with Megan Thee Stallion, GloRilla, Sexyy Red, and the like. When women rap, I’m all in and that’s that.

I ran into Doechii on my YouTube recommended page, funny enough. The "Denial Is a River" music video. What an amazing find. I know I’m behind on the Doechii love, but at least I made it to the party. Her mixtape, Alligator Bites Never Heal, is just banger after banger. I probably don’t even need to tell you. Incredible artist. And her NPR Tiny Desk concert? Holy shit.

The theme of this post is ladies and queers, because I'm tired of listening to men talk. All of these groups are led by powerful, artistic women and nonbinary folks who are leading the charge in their genres and bending said genres as they create. Captivating, raw, dynamic, layered. All the adjectives. Please go check em out!