Show the ladies some love
By Chloë Williams, Columnist
Featured image courtesy of Justjared.com
A lot of people have told me that they often shy away from female singers in genres like rock, alternative and punk because they think girls “don’t fit in” those categories. To counter that idea, I have created a list of bands that not only feature some seriously talented women, but a list of some of the most original and unique bands of this generation, regardless of gender. After having a listen, I think you’ll agree. Go on, show the ladies some love!
Lorde
Chances are, you’ve probably heard of this indie pop singer, but she definitely deserves her spot on this list. Lorde is a wordsmith, and her unique music style plays with off-beats, synchronization and floats effortlessly between different subcategories of genres. Much of Lorde’s music is written about her experiences growing up in a lesser-known town, fitting in and her experiences with love. Her style is elegant, yet edgy; she plays with harmonies, hard beats, theatrical style and poetic phrasing. Her songs take you on journeys and will have you anywhere from gently swaying to full-on dancing. Check out “Homemade Dynamite” from her new album “Melodrama” and then “The Love Club,” a piece from the extended edition of “Pure Heroine.”
Marmozets
Marmozets features Becca Macintyre, an incredibly fierce and bold woman who’s not afraid to express herself in the hardcore music world. Becca’s vocals are harsh, extremely dramatic and in your face, yet she still manages to convey melodic choruses and slow pieces very well. Marmozets aren’t for the faint of heart, but don’t let that be a turn off. Marmozets are one of the most original bands out there, and a fairly new group. The guitar work from this band is incredible, and even though the style is harder-edged, the melodic qualities will still have you wanting to dance. Check out their new single “Play” and then “Is It Horrible?” from their first and only full-length album, “The Weird And Wonderful Marmozets.”
Jule Vera
Jule Vera is a pop band featuring singer Ansley Newman who also plays ukulele on several of the band’s tracks. This band has a very diverse sound in that they use a traditionally rock band setup (guitars, bass, drums, singer) to transform and blend between different sub genres. Despite their materials, the sound produced includes flavors of pop, rock, indie, alternative and even some elements of funk. Newman’s soft and light vocals work on many levels, creating angelic tones in the softer pieces, and coming across as brilliant contrast in edgier tracks. Jule Vera, meaning “Young Truth,” is not your typical pop group. Their mixed bag of electronic sounds, grinding electric guitars, backbeats, dance beats and ukulele strumming will present you with something fresh and new on every track. Start out with “Bad Company” from their new album, “Waiting On The Sun” and then “You Can’t Mess It Up” from their first album, “Friendly Enemies.”
Bleached
Bleached is an all-girl garage punk band that is guaranteed to bring out the Riot Grrrl in you. The crunch in their guitar, matched with driving rock drums and hard melodic vocals make this three-piece band mesh perfectly. Bleached is one of the most solid punk bands of this generation with creative solos and an original transformation of grunge, garage and even beach style. The lyrics are clever, and even humorous at times. Bleached reimagines and resurrects ideas in music that have not been explored for a while, all the time still maintaining a completely original sound. Start out with “Can You Deal?” from their recent EP “Can You Deal?” and move to “Wednesday Night Melody” from their second record, “Welcome the Worms.”
The Dollyrots
The Dollyrots is a two-piece power pop band, mixing bubblegum pop vocals with distorted rock ‘n’ roll guitar. This blending of such opposites may sound a little crazy, but The Dollyrots are able to craft a flawlessly unique sound thriving on this very contrast. This band also has a lot to offer in terms of song diversity. You can find straight punk, straight pop, dance pop, pop punk, acoustic folksy, and of course, the beloved power pop. The Dollyrots are just plain fun and do not take themselves too seriously. Just take a listen to lyrics like, “Took my tag off my mattress/I’m a first world anarchist.” The Dollyrots is a fantastic band to listen to when you just want to let go and dance, or rock out. Listen to “Get Weird” from their fifth album, “Barefoot and Pregnant,” “I Wanna Go” from their fourth album “The Dollyrots,” and “Kick Me to the Curb” from their first record “Eat My Heart Out” to explore their diverse sound.
