Something to Watch. Something to Hear. And Something to Play.
Independence Day is just around the corner, a time most fools spend guzzling cheap beer and roasting hot dogs in the name of America. Which is chill. But let's not forget what the day symbolizes, in its historically fucked up way — FREEDOM. Despite that this country was founded by colonizers and settlers who stole the freedom of others and then went to war to obtain their own. Let's ignore that part for a hot minute and focus on freedom in the form of anything that allows us to seek out happiness, to pursue that which sets our souls on boundless journeys of empowerment, betterment, and overall joy. For me, personally, music is usually tied into this pursuit. So with that short rant out of my brain, let's jam.
Watch this...The Paranoyds announced their debut album last week — that's right, debut, which sounds wrong since they've been crushing it since 2015 — and released their first video for lead single "Girlfriend Degree," a mid-tempo fuzzed-out punk anthem with a loaded message. In the press release, the band explains, "There's all this pressure about being 'the ideal woman,' and it's easy to get caught up in that — to spend your time trying to be all these things that others think you should be. Getting a 'girlfriend degree' is about settling, selling oneself short and not believing in yourself — valuing your partner's beliefs or opinions over your own."
Don't worry dudes, the Noyds aren't here to chase your girlfriends away. "It's cool to be a girlfriend or wife or whatever but there's so much more to being a woman than that." Amen. The explicitly feminist track captures the beautiful synergy of the band — Lexi Funston, Staz Lindes, Laila Hashemi, and David Ruiz — and pairs perfectly with the slightly sardonic Barbie pink video. (Side note: whoever came up with the idea of shaving with Reddi-wip is a genius). I don't know about you, but I've missed hearing from songwriters who actually have something to say, especially when it comes to being FREE.
"Carnage Bargain" drops September 30th on Suicide Squeeze.
Listen to this...In the spirit of all things free, there can never be a 4th of July moment without mention of Bruce Springsteen. No, I will not be asking you to listen to "Born in the U.S.A.," because let's face it, we're past that now. So put on some headphones, and step into this classic track off Bruce's 1987 album "Tunnel of Love."
Play on repeat... There's nothing like an outdoor holiday like the 4th to get you under the sky and listening to a playlist, so I made one for you, called FREEDOM (find it ready to go on the Inherent Bummer Spotify page), because we like to shout things around here. A two-and-a-half-hour cycle of some of my favorite jams—songs that bring me to absolute wild abandonment.
