What do you get when you put a charismatic female singer in front of a three-piece punk outfit that sounds like the bastard child of the Pixies and Blondie? The Yeah Yeah Yeahs? Well, sure. But also the New Brunswick, N.J.-based Screaming Females, a DIY band that will release its fourth album, Castle Talk, on the Don Giovanni label next week.
It is easy to fall into the trap of equating the Yeah Yeah Yeahs and Screaming Females, two similar indie punk groups, but it’s not an entirely inaccurate comparison. Both bands use similar vocal manipulation and heavy bass lines to create a unique lo-fi sound. Both are from the Tri-State area. And both groups rock very, very hard. But where they differ is in their respective style of punk.
While the Yeah Yeah Yeahs produce a more danceable, refined sound, Screaming Females are skuzzier, like a traditional punk band. That’s not to say that Castle Talk isn’t a danceable album, it just lends itself to the kind of dancing that should occur at house shows where kids chant along with lead singer Marissa Paternoster’s crooning anthems.
As a whole, Castle Talk is a pretty accessible punk album. Most tracks feature Paternoster’s signature thrash-heavy guitar riffs. Check out the album opener “Laura and Marty” for a perfect example this distortion-heavy shredding. Though the song initially sounds like a My Bloody Valentine track, it evolves into a more mature, almost polished sound. It’s as if the opening track serves to indicate the band’s transformation into something more than just Jersey basement rockers.
Lead single “I Don’t Mind It” is the album’s standout track. The guitars are cleaner, departing from their usual lo-fi fuzz for a more pop-punk sound reminiscent of We Are Scientists. King Mike’s characteristically heavy bass lines are softer and bouncier, to a fun effect.
Paternoster’s playing and songwriting are also superb on this album, particularly “Ghost Solo”. She has terrific range and on this record; she both leads a revolt with her anthem-like lyrics and sings us softly to sleep. Her guitar riffs are so doused in fuzz that you wonder if the album was actually recorded in a basement, which adds a sense of charm to her intricate solos, although those same solos can get a bit repetitive when they appear on every track.
All that being said, Screaming Females’ newfound maturity and cleaner sound do not detract from their aggressive indie-punk roots—the attitude remains. At the same time, tracks like “Fall Asleep” and “I Don’t Mind It” may put the Screaming Females on the same path as indie outfits The Gaslight Anthem and Titus Andronicus, evolving from a popular-in-New-Jersey band to a band that is simply popular.
Voice’s Choices: “Laura and Marty,” “Normal,” “I Don’t Mind It”
