Kate Nash
is a peculiar and wonderful kind of artist. When she debuted around 2007, she drew some unfair comparisons to Lily Allen, largely because their voices sounded
similar (can’t imagine Allen belting out songs quite the way Nash
does, though) and they were both MySpace sensations (ah, those were
the days), and their songs dealt primarily with relationships. But
where Allen’s songs were in a similar vein musically, Nash has always
had the more vulnerable voice. Her songs echo private journal entries,
and on Girl Talk, she takes that confessional aspect of her
art and runs with it.
(Not that
I’m saying Allen isn’t a decent artist; she certainly is when she
puts her mind to it. But give me Kate any damn day.)
Where
Nash’s Made of Bricks was exuberant and not a little bit
naughty, and My Best Friend is You was more cathartic, a
soul-baring brand of retro girl group punk rock, Girl Talk is
an energetic middle-finger to failed relationships, fake friends,
misogyny, and the status quo. At its best moments, Girl Talk
reminds me of late 90s/early 00s riot grrls: Bikini Kill, The
Butchies, Le Tigre, Sleater-Kinney, Guyville-era Liz Phair.
Let’s break it down and see what each song has going for it, and
what I took from each one. Also videos where applicable.
“Part
Heart”
My take:
Depression: I have it, you have it, we all have it. Now let’s deal
with it.
Mood:
Broody, shoegazing
Favorite
lyric: "It doesn’t matter how much I hurt myself, I still feel
the same.”
“Fri-end?”
My take:
Those people you hang out with, even though you know they are
garbage. But dammit, you can’t help it.
Mood:
Rollicking
Favorite
Lyric: “You don’t treat me like a friend, yeah/You were cool...”
“Death
Proof”
My take:
Immortality. Make a deal with the devil. Live fast, die young--but why die at all?
Mood:
Rockabilly, Surfy
Favorite
Lyric: “I ain’t got time to die.”
“Are You
There Sweetheart?”
My take: A
song we’ve all sung when we’re at our wits end over an ex.
Mood:
Juxtaposing sadness with upbeat music
Favorite
Lyric: “You were always watching my neck from the back of the
room/You were mine, Darling, once.”
“Sister”
(My favorite track on the album.)
My take:
Screaming “FUCK YOU!” while driving dangerously fast down an open
freeway. And making out hard.
Mood: Balls
to the wall!
Favorite
Lyric: “She kinda had your smile...face/Another girl broke my
heart.”
“OMYGOD”
My take:
Pretending to be happy when everything is shit. Longing.
Mood: Retro
pop
Favorite
Lyric: “I can tell all my friends are jealous of me/I wish I was in
your bed.”
“Oh”
My take:
You’ve just broken up with your favorite person. Stumbling drunk,
you decide to get on the Tilt-A-Whirl.
Mood:
Jangly and dreamy and a tad disconcerting
Favorite
Lyric: “Don’t tell me who to be, yeah I don’t care about
reality.”
“All
Talk”
My take:
Going to your favorite misogynist’s home and kicking the shit out
of him (or her, go with your fantasy) and totally getting away with
it.
Mood: Grrrl
Rawk
Favorite
Lyric: “Words are only in my mouth/I’m a feminist and if that
offends you then fuck you/Look how I got your attention.”
“Conventional
Girl”
My take:
Tired of trying to get through. Done with trying to explain.
Mood:
Confessional, rambling
Favorite
Lyric: “I gave you everything/You did not let me in.”
“3AM”
My take:
Listen, I’ve got so much to say. I know we’ve had our problems.
Just listen. Let’s hash these issues out, right here and now.
Mood:
Frantic
Favorite
Lyric: “You are the one I think of on a night/It makes me sick the
way we fight.”
“Rap for
Rejection”
My take:
Seriously, sexism and gender roles can go fuck themselves.
Mood:
Abrasive and knows it
Favorite
Lyric: “Are you trying to tell me sexism doesn’t exist? Well if
it doesn’t exist then what the fuck is this?”
“Cherry
Pickin”
My take:
Pure, unbridled homage to Kathleen Hannah. I like this song the more
I listen to it.
Mood: Riot
grrl crossed with 60s pop
Favorite
Lyric: “Stop cherry pickin all over town.”
“Labyrinth”
My take:
Dammit, I just want you to let me in, but for fuck’s sake, how did
we get to this point?
Mood:
Stripped
Favorite
Lyric: “I want you to say you have no power over me/When will the
maze fall apart?”
“You’re
So Cool, I’m So Freaky”
My take: Oh, I'm sorry I don't live up to your expectations. Go be "normal" and "cool" somewhere else.
Mood: An
acoustic ditty with an edge
Favorite
Lyric: “Tomorrow is important no matter what you say/You’re so
cool and I’m a freaky, freaky, freaky girl.”
“Lullaby
for an Insomniac”
My take:
Lying in bed, wrapped in blankets in the dark. Panic-stricken. My friends are the
best; I’d go insane without them.
Mood:
Acapella with a big finish
Favorite
Lyric: “Another day goes by, and I don’t wash my hair.”
So how to accurately describe my feelings for Girl Talk? It's an album I didn't know I needed until now. It's brave, bold, outrageous and beautiful. And it showcases Nash's ever-evolving talents as a musician. Be sure to check out her website, twitter and facebook page. She's also on tour right now! I'll be doing my best to see her in Pittsburgh.
(All images copyright their respective owners)
god I just rode a Tilt A Whirl.
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