Reviews

Dushtu

Radical Kitten Uppercat 12″

After their first full-length Silence is Violence from 2020, RADICAL KITTEN is out with their second release Uppercat. Groove-driven post-punk through a queer and feminist lens gives perspective on “No Means No” with lines like “No means no! / Patriarchy fuck off,” and the absolute ripper of a track “Fake as Fuck” that death screams at the end of the line “These two-faced peoples will try to trick anyway / No, I don’t wanna waste my time on them!” There’s some spiky energy at work here, with bobbling bass lines and great drum fills reminiscent of Buzz or Howl Under the Influence of Heat-era MINUTEMEN set to the political fervor of PYLON. Great album. This Toulouse, France trio is one to watch!

The Hahas and The Blablas The Hahas and The Blablas LP

Zagreb, Croatia’s the HAHAS AND THE BLABLAS have been on my watch list ever since I came across the music video for their lead single on Tremendo Garaje. Even though it runs just under a minute, it was more than enough for me to fall in love with them. And now, about a year later, their self-titled LP is here to prove that they really are a force to be reckoned with. With bass taking the lead most of the time and toy-ish synthesizers playing the catchiest melodies you’ve ever heard, the guitar and drums take supporting roles and dutifully hold everything together like Super Glue. But to me, the expressive vocals and tongue-in-cheek lyricism are what makes this album extremely addictive. Slice-of-life themes of the album include, but are not limited to: frustration with bureaucracy, the myth of “fixing it in the mix,” wanting to marry Debbie Harry, and—though I have my doubts about this one—Andy Kaufman not being their dad. The whole thing is filled to the brim with childlike wonder, silly jokes, and hooks that are impossible not to sing along to. I’d argue that the HAHAS AND THE BLABLAS are the long-awaited spiritual successor to the B-52’S, but you wouldn’t believe me. So be it. Go ahead, give it a spin and weep!