Brendan McDonough

Favorite Album: uknowhatimsayin? by Danny Brown

I will always remember the first time I saw Danny Brown live at Pitchfork in 2014, its probably going to be one of the recollections I have on my deathbed. I remember a shoeless man, wearing nothing but a vest made of some kind of animal skins (I didn’t ask), offering me an Aquafina bottle full of a mystery liquor (I also didn’t ask, nor drink it), saying that he drove all the way from Mobile, Alabama just to see Danny perform. Crowd members were inhaling a rainbow assortment of every pill under the sun, and chasing those with cups, flasks and water bottles of their booze of choice. Once the show began, a nonstop mosh-pit lasting the length of his set broke out. Danny’s performance was electric even without a near-lethal dose of substances, and much of his stage energy, and comically emphasized inflections is mirrored on uknowhatimsayin? A far-cry from his critically successful Atrocity Exhibition, his latest release is a reprise of Danny’s XXX days. Produced by Q-Tip and featuring JPEGMAFIA, Flying Lotus, and Killer Mike, among others, unknowhatimsayin is the most enthralling hip hop release of 2019.

Favorite Song: “Jesus is the One (I Got Depression)” by Zach Fox and Kenny Beats

“Free Palestine. Free Tay K.” Twitter comedian Zack Fox took the rap world by storm this summer with this surprise Kenny Beats freestyle collaboration. Coming from The Cave YouTube series, in which Kenny Beats creates tracks tailored to the requests of rappers, who subsequently showcase their freestyle abilities. Adorned with a Lincoln-esque stovepipe hat, stripping naked halfway through recording, and causing the entire booth to break out in raucous laughter, Fox delivered the shows most entertaining performances to date, and delivered the track Jesus Is the One (I Got Depression). A slap-in-the-face trap beat, with Fox rapping about mental illness, thousand island dressing, and of course Jesus, Jesus is hands down the funniest song of the year and a rallying cry for chronically depressed millenials.

Elisabeth Oster

Favorite Album: Sandman by Trudy and the Romance

I can confidently say that this album sounds like nothing I’ve ever listened to before, as Trudy and the Romance’s sound takes influence from such a wide, impressive range of influences across genres and decades. Self-described as “50s mutant pop,” the band’s 2019 debut album provides a dreamy escape with its strong doo-wop sound and creative use of call and response. Although each track easily stands alone, its cohesive form is where the album truly shines, with short musical interludes and a subtle, interwoven story. Sandman’s twelve tracks chronicle fictional leader singer Little Johnny, his band The Original Doo-Wop Spaceman, and the protagonist’s heartbreak. Stand-out tracks include “That’s Not Me”—a diversion that feels fit for a 50s prom slow dance—and “The Original Doo-Wop Spaceman”—a piece that flirts with jangly 60s pop while still maintaining the overarching cosmic vibe of the album. For me, this album is a master class in engineering an album that works as a conglomeration, rather than crumbling to the rising trend of charting singles. Trudy and the Romance have a story to tell and a unique sound to share with the world; each album track is representative of this refreshing, focused vision that I hope they continue to explore past their first musical outing. 

Favorite Song: Ocean by Fruit Bats

This song encapsulated and enveloped this summer for me, and for good reason—its 3-minute runtime distinctly feels like carefree summer days and open car windows bottled up in wistful lyrics and sun-soaked guitar chords. Fruit Bats, whose only consistent member is Eric D. Johnson, has consistently put out 70s influenced albums for the past twenty years with a vocal delivery reminiscent of Neil Young and Supertramp. “Ocean,” a track off Johnson’s excellent Gold Past Life release, doesn’t have a chorus or hook to speak of, but each verse builds on masterful, vivid descriptions of the natural world and the people who open our eyes to such wonders. It’s a nostalgic and tender song, worth a listen for the atmosphere it conjures up. As I am a naturally indecisive person, I am also attaching a runner-up song into consideration: “Chartreuse,” by underrated DIY artist Worn-Tin, is a psychedelic masterpiece released earlier this year on his album Cycles—an alluring track that is a purely fun listen. 

Jaden Amjadi

Favorite Album: All My Heroes Are Cornballs by JPEGMAFIA

This has got to be my favorite album of the year, it’s one I find myself returning to a lot. The production contrasts between lots of smooth, wavy synths and odder, more abrasive sounds. Peggy’s bars are both humorous and confrontational. Songs will switch styles without warning, keeping listeners on their toes. Some really strong melodies are still delivered, like on “Jesus Forgive Me, I Am A Thot” or “Free the Frail”. It really feels like a rap album representative of the Internet Age.

Favorite Song: Everyday by Weyes Blood

This song is glorious. The piano chords and percussion in the first verse are playful and sweet, providing an excellent base for the smooth vocals. The melodies, whether they be on the chorus or the verse or the bridge, are irresistible. The lyrics are a bit somber, but leave room for hope. The choir vocals, strings, and guitar which come in as the track builds are executed so well, and by the time the track is over, it’s felt like a real journey while being approachable and catchy all the while. Amazing song.

Sarah Bridgeport

Favorite Album: When We All Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go? By Billie Eilish

From this year (which felt like a century) my favorite album was When We All Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go? by Billie Eilish. As soon as I realized the album had come out, I sat in my bedroom and listened through the whole thing. “Listen Before I Go” was my favorite song from the album, it was so visual and tragic. Overall, I adored the tone of the album, it has such a distinctive voice. 

Favorite Song: “Kiki’s Song” by Mree

My favorite song of the year has to be “Kiki’s Song” by Mree. It’s a song that’s told like a story, and it’s from the point of view of Kiki from the Studio Ghibli movie Kiki’s Delivery Service. It’s enchanting and makes what I consider to be the ultimate homage by using parts of the melody from Kiki’s theme in the movie. This is a song I hum when I’m in a good mood, and sometimes I hum it to put me in a good mood.

Grace Wachholz

Favorite Album: Immunity by Clairo

Immunity by Clairo is my favorite album of year because it is Clairo’s first true album and she really breaks out of the ‘bedroom pop’ genre she’s always been known for. It’s so cool to see how she’s grown as an artist. I’ve been a fan since her early music so I’ve watched her style change through the years. Immunity consists of eleven tracks that are much more intimate and mature than her past music. The album has been considered one of the best albums of the year on many charts and for very good reason.

Favorite Song: “Never Cared” by boy pablo & Jimi Somewhere

“Never Cared” by boy pablo & Jimi Somewhere is my favorite song of the year because the song reminds me of this past summer. I definitely had this song on repeat for a while then, which made it my top Spotify track of the year! It has a different style than boy pablo’s other music and I like how the he was able to experiment with Jimi Somewhere. I also got to see boy pablo in concert this past August and it was one of the best concerts I’ve ever seen. The band’s personality carries into their music and they’re always a fun band to listen to.

Emma Caparula

Favorite Album: IGOR by Tyler the Creator

Since I was around 15 years old, I have been a massive Tyler, the Creator fan. Back then – in 2013 – he had released two albums, Goblin and Wolf, both of which feature aggressive rapping and unsettlingly angry lyrics. Four years later, with the release of album Flower Boy, a massive shift in Tyler’s style occurred; low-key instrumentals accompanied emotional lyrics about Tyler’s sexuality and relationship issues. This past may, Tyler released his latest album, IGOR, incorporating elements of both Flower Boy and his past albums to produce an incredibly unique and passionate project. IGOR tells a love story; Tyler falls for someone, but the object of his affection is still involved with their previous partner. He desperately wants to be the only person in their life, as he states in New Magic Wand with the line, “This 60/40 isn’t workin.’ I want a hundred of your time, you’re mine.” Eventually, Tyler accepts that his needs will never be met, and the relationship falls apart. IGOR’s mixture of jazz, pop, rap, and hip-hop makes for a vivacious experience capable of appealing to a wide range of listeners; and what’s more, he produced the entire thing solo.

Favorite Line: ..maybe it’s just a dream that I can’t seem to wake up from; my love’s gone.

Favorite Song: “home with you” by FKA Twigs

I listened to FKA twigs’ home with you on a whim the day it was released. Although I had previously listened to bits and pieces of her first album, they never peaked my interest; hearing home with you was a completely different story. Immediately, her enchanting whispers and the haunting electronic accompaniment drew me in. When the song transitioned into a combination of melancholy vocals and gorgeous piano-playing, it struck a chord with me, and I was sure home with you would be one of my all-time favorite songs.
Favorite Line: I didn’t know that you were lonely; if you’d have just told me, I’d be home with you.

Lauren Arzbaecher

Favorite Album: Jade Bird by Jade Bird

Though I had heard some of her singles before, what really drew me to Jade Bird’s music was her performance at Hinterland Music Festival this summer. I had gone to report on the festival as a whole, and she was one of the early performers of the day. Needless to say her engaging stage presence and upbeat songs kept me listening for months after the festival. For a UK artist, her slight twang and focus on the acoustic guitar seem to fit right into the ever-changing atmosphere of American modern country music. This debut album sits comfortably between country-folk and indie-pop, and each song exudes a sincere soulfulness. The lyrics focus mainly on love and all the ways it can affect us, some gems being “Lottery,” “Good At It,” and the raucously fun “Uh Huh.” The 22 year old artist has set a high bar with this heartfelt debut, and she is just getting started.

Favorite Song: “DAVE (turn the music down)” by Juice

Juice is a group that is rather genre-fluid, but tends to settle somewhere between r&b and funk. “DAVE (turn the music down)” diverges into rap, yet still keeps the band’s signature sound with a funky beat that gives the song a unique aura. Like a good amount of music this past year, the lyrics allude to political and social issues, but don’t take themselves that seriously. The songs links rap, psychedelic rock, hip-hop, and funk all in one fascinating combination that is so much fun to listen to. 

Ella Heckman

Favorite Album: The Juice: Vol. I by Emotional Oranges

My favorite album this year was Emotional Oranges’ The Juice: Vol. I. by far, for its unique and tightly plotted R&B funk wave sound. It was a standout for me as the artist’s debut album with a cohesive but unique sound across every track. There wasn’t a single song on the album that didn’t belong and didn’t slap.

Favorite Song: “No Plan” by Hozier

This was my favorite song this year because its bluesy rock sound combined with lyrics conflicted with both hope and fear set the tone for my year. From Hozier’s album, Wasteland, Baby!, No Plan is a patch of solace among the “screaming, heaving, f*ckery of the world” that draws from the rich traditions of blues and rock pioneered by black artists.

Jake Bisson

Favorite Album: There Existed An Addiction to Blood by clipping

My AOTY is There Existed An Addiction to Blood by clipping. It’s a horror-themed noise rap album that near-flawlessly progresses like listening to a horror movie. One of my favorite songs is ‘Run for Your Life,’ which uses an incredible sample of a car driving past blaring beats that match up with the rhythm of the song. At the same time, the lyrics tell a story that incorporates the car itself into the dark atmosphere it builds. It’s one of the most masterfully produced albums I’ve heard in general and has earned itself lots of spins on my show (As Loud As Possible).

Favorite Song: “Dream Catcher Part II” by State Faults

This song is fast and aggressive screamo loaded with emotional vocals and blistering riffs. The mix of rawness and emotion in State Faults’ music has made them one of my favorite bands to come out of punk and metal this year. Their sound reminds me of one of my personal favorite music scenes, the early 2000’s East Coast screamo of bands like Orchid, pageninetynine, and City of Caterpillar.

Luke Bonner

Favorite Album: Father of the Bride by Vampire Weekend

While it’s not surprising to anyone, Vampire Weekend is still a great band. After some recent flagship 2000’s indie bands faltered (cough Arcade Fire), I was wary coming into the new Vampire Weeekend album. However, I had truly nothing to fear. Ezra Koening and crew showed they still have all their old magic and new tricks up their sleeves. Tracks like “This Life” had the classic Vampire Weekend sound I was looking for, but others like “Sympathy” and “Spring Snow” were new territory. The duets with Danielle Haim and stellar lyrics throughout kept this one spinning all Spring, Summer, and Fall for me. Not to mention, Vampire Weekend put on the best live show I saw all year.

Favorite Song: “Cellophane” by FKA Twigs

Where do I start? This might be my favorite song of the year but it is hard to listen to. Releasing this in the Spring, Twigs really got ahead of the Winter sadness because this song is a potent encapsulation of despair and longing. Written after a breakup with star Robert Pattinson, FKA Twigs delves deep into the pain after one loses someone close to them. The self-despair and questioning is all over the song with the line, “Didn’t I do it for you?” resonating. The music video is also essential and by far my favorite video of the year. Who knew pole dancing was so beautiful and evocative?

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The night began with Iowan performer Arish Singh who had a short, yet often provocative set that was very political. He spent much of his time talking of his love of Ilhan Omar, the Ellen Degeneres/George W Bush friendship, and cancel culture. When he began talking about the later, I tensed up in anticipation of the Seinfeldian school of thought that comedy is being held back by “woke culture.” Luckily, this was not the case and Singh had an even handed and original take. His most memorable line thanking Ellen DeGeneres for making cancel culture more inclusive now that a strong, lesbian woman can get cancelled in 2019.

Singh then introduced New York comedian Sam Taggart, who sauntered on stage with obviously feigned surprise that had the audience chuckling hard. The woman behind me who seemed to have some sort of sneezing and/or breathing problem sounded like she was wheezing at this part. His look, complete with a light pink sweater and khakis, fed directly into his character as the most awkward gay man you’ve ever met.

His set ran the gamut of jury duty and every single anxious thought he’s ever had in his life and was all extremely endearing. Taggart’s personality, which felt much more like a character than Singh’s, carried him through his set. Even with small technical difficulties, he vamped his way through and moved into a lovely little Halloween song about falling in love with an off-brand character. When he ended his set, I was wishing his was a little longer, but also ready for Torres to weird it up.

Julio Torres has recently begun exploding in the New York comedy scene and comedy in general. Torres is currently a writer on SNL and often contributes weird, dreamy sketches like these. He is also a writer and star on HBO’s Los Espookys along with Fred Armisen, one of my favorite comedians. Torres also had his first stand up special released recently on HBO, the prop-comedy extravaganza My Favorite Shapes, which transcended the demeaning title of prop-comedy. Having seen this stellar work previously, I was excited to see Torres in person.

Torres’ performance was a surprisingly laid back affair. He began the show with a dizzying set of anecdotes and thoughts that had seemingly no connections. Stories about trying to use his mother’s bible as a spell book was quickly pushed away as Torres delved into why the letter q was too early in the alphabet. This disorientation was difficult to get used to at first, but Torres’ hilariously deadpan approach and witty material saved it.

The set was meandering but never listless. He slowly scrolled through his iPhone, the new one as he pointed out before saying his tax returns in 2011 were $50, to find new bits in what he called “the well.” Consulting the well, he would come up with random, yet very detailed bits that had the woman behind me literally choking on air instead of her usual sneeze-cough. Highlights include an excerpt from Mike Pence’s diary and a long and surprisingly emotional screenplay between a crow acting in Madonna’s “Frozen” music video and his boyfriend in Nebraska.

The audience ate it up and were the expected assembly of off-brand Iowans. At one point in his set, Torres referenced America’s Next Top Model and said, “I hope you’re following, and if you’re at my show I assume you are.” The crowd was obviously excited for him to be there and when he ended up cutting his set a little short as, “the well is only giving me seaweed and rocks,” they were eager for the Q&A section he offered.

Torres ended his show by asking the audience for a piece of advice. An audience member answered, “Lick the corn.” A response that pretty much sums up the audience. Torres took the advice with hilarious befuddlement and compared it to the Twin Peaks line, “the owls are not what they seem.” Before awkwardly, yet endearingly shuffling off the stage. He brought what I and the audience expected and hoped for: a weird, relaxing end to a long Halloween weekend and Witching Hour Festival.

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Counterfeit Madison

Nov 2nd 7:00pm @ The Englert

I first saw Counterfeit Madison perform at The Mill as part of last year’s Mission Creek Festival and lead singer Sharon Udoh’s presence was magnetizing. She was extremely joyful and exciting to watch, with almost supernatural skills on the keyboard. I’m very much looking forward to seeing Udoh play again. In combination with her own original work, this performance is intended to blend in the unparalleled music of Nina Simone in an exploration of personal and social change. Having listened to Simone for years, I’m excited to see how Udoh puts her own spin on the famous singer’s work. -Lauren Arzbaecher

Comedy Showcase

Nov 1st 9:30pm @ The Mill

Six distinct comics with unique voices will perform at The Mill, which is known for its status as both a restaurant and a performance venue. Im looking forward to laughing with, not at, different comedians in the post-Halloween haze. – Sarah Bridgeport

Fools Mag Exhibit & Reading

Nov. 2nd 11:45am @ Englert Theatre

It’s going to be a visual and literary art exhibit inspired by other works at Witching Hour and the other festival themes. I’m excited to go look at others’ interpretations and thoughts about Witching Hour! – Maddy Dawczak

The Shredders

Nov 2nd 10:30pm @ Gabe’s

They are a four-man rap outfit consisting of P.O.S, Sims, Lazerbeak, and Paper Tiger. I’m excited to hear how their respective sounds/energies will complement each other; I’ve heard a few songs from each individual artist, but not from the overall group itself and I’m very intrigued. -Jack Biscupski

Dimensions: Yoga, Sound, and Visual

Nov 2nd 10:00am @ The Englert Theatre

Described as a multimedia project from the minds of the two native Iowan songwriters and musicians, Dimensions will fuse yoga, sound, and visuals for a sensory experience.  “Ambient music” and “psychedelic projected visual meditations” provided by Naoti and Stier will accompany local yoga instructors, completing the “unique yoga experience.” I think the fact that this project has a certain amount of mystery attached to it is what makes it truly exciting. At this point, I feel like I will be walking in not knowing what to expect from the experience at all, which, in my opinion, are always the best experiences. Who knows, maybe this will be my new yoga routine—music and all.  -Elisabeth Oster

Marcelo Mena

Nov 1st 6:00pm @ The Englert

Marcelo Mena is the World Bank’s climate advisor to the CEO. He will be giving a presentation on climate change entitled, “From Impossible to Inevitable: How Climate Action is Mainstreamed Globally” that will deal with how to understand and address climate change. I’m really excited to go to his presentation because I think climate change is currently a very important issue and it will be very interesting to learn about it from the perspective of an expert. He is also an Iowa alumni and I think that’d it be really cool to hear how his experiences at Iowa helped him get to where he is now. – Grace Waccholz

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Witching Hour is an annual festival put on by The Englert Theater and Little Village. For more information, including a full schedule, go to www.witchinghourfestival.com. And be sure to keep checking KRUI for our thoughts and reviews on the festival.

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TWRP (aka Tupperware Remix Party) are most known for the attention-grabbing costumes they wear on stage. They include a traffic cone-esque spaceman named Dr. Sung, a lion that reminded me of Chuck E Cheese’s animatronic characters, and a few others I couldn’t place. At first, I bristled at this aspect and wanted to write it off as a gimmick. However, there was something so utterly enjoyable I dropped my pretense that I was too cool for the show. Nobody is too cool for a TWRP show.

An endless positivity, which extended to body positivity and queer-inclusiveness, encased the night. Much like the glow in the dark balloon that hit me in the face, I was pummeled with enthusiasm. As a young cynic, I struggled with this at first.

Many of the audience members watched the show with unbridled glee and yelled throughout the show in their cosplay. In my jorts and tiger shirt I felt like a fish out of water and sitting in pink kitty litter. However, that feeling dissipated as the band played their anthemic, 80’s inspired tunes.

Described by the band as “an elite squad of musicians from space, the distant future, the 1980’s, and Canada” they played a surprisingly muscular set of songs. The slap bass was hit very often by the lion (aka Commander Meouch) and the guitar hit as hard. The blend of modern indie rock, 80’s rock, and a bit of synth felt perfect.

There were however, a few musical elements that gave me pause. Namely, the consistent use of robotic vocals. The robot vocoder effect often made it difficult to hear Dr. Sung’s words, but eventually I did my best to see past it. Perhaps, I’m behind the times and that’s the future of auto tune.

Before TWRP began, opener Rich Aucoin set the stage for the futuristic 80’s dance party with a set heavily reliant on video. With a projected screen ranging from Monty Python scenes, Warhol paintings, and X-Files clips the retro vibe began early in the night. Aucoin relied a little bit too much on singalong, but he was pumped up. I personally was not ready for his energy and literally moved away from the stage at one point.

Even I could admit he had some solid tricks to get everyone engaged and excited. A particular highlight included a large parachute draped over the entire crowd they then pumped up and down. It smelled like disgusting gym shorts but was extremely fun to wave around. On the music side, he had strong synth pop with relatable and darkly humorous lyrics. His music felt like the perfect opening to TWRP and I, unlike the rest of the crowd who sang along with glee, was a little disappointed when he shifted to Bohemian Rhapsody karaoke with Wayne’s World visuals at the end.

Feeding off Aucoin’s energy, TWRP brought stage antics and presence bigger than I’ve ever seen. It was a nice change of pace from all the “tortured” indie artists I usually see, as TWRP visibly had fun on the stage and played with audience. Bits included constantly changing the song number they played, they eventually claimed they were on song number 69 pt. 2, and an encore was preceded by the band finding themselves unable to locate the door offstage. Other choice moments included Dr. Sung pulling out a pair of nun chunks during a song entitled “Atomic Karate.”

There were seemingly no slow songs, everything was a pump-up song all the time forever and forever. As a self-described pessimist, it was difficult to adjust to but I eventually let the experience wash over me. Everyone else enjoyed the show in the cat ears and glow in the dark lights, so I enjoyed it too. As the anthems seemingly grew more anthemic and the lyrics became more and more about the night never ending, it felt like the night would never end.

Of course, it did end. Only after the complimentary playing of their two most popular songs did they set down their instruments and tumble off stage. And, I was surprisingly sad. My elation deflated and I was a flat glow in the dark balloon. I couldn’t fly around the room hitting unsuspecting 6’2 concert reviewers anymore. The night was over and I was back in the present, not the future nor the 80’s.

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Good Morning Midnight is band made up of Iowa City residents and Nebraskans, a fact confirmed after the audience yelled “Nebraska!” at the band who cheered. The band veers between hushed verses and rousing choruses. When they first came out, the lead singer and guitarist, Charlie Cacciatore, was almost performing solo. Their voice quiet along with their single guitar was a startling open and, combined with the Englert’s draft, it left me with goosebumps. I was further surprised by the chorus, which used the full band to great effect and legitimately rocked.

The Englert was a perfect audience for this band and the 20-somethings sipping their craft beers seemed to really enjoy the set. The people near me spent the time after the show discussing where they could all jam together sometime, seemingly encouraged by the band’s style. Good Morning Midnight is the type of band that exudes a youthful exuberance one wants to emulate, and the Englert audience followed that. It was the perfect audience for a band who announced a song saying, “This song is about living near a highway. Any of you from rural Iowa?” with legitimate enthusiasm.

Good Morning Midnight seems indebted to great bands like Pavement and Built to Spill, with their songs stretching out in 90s fashion. They do have some additions that make them distinct though. Cacciatore has a wonderfully yelp-y voice that gave excitement to lyrics one wouldn’t typically find exciting. The addition of a violin added another sonic element that made them stand apart from the typical band setup. I also particularly enjoyed one slower song where the violinist put her instrument down and sang a classic male-female duet with Cacciatore.

I do think Good Morning Midnight was hindered a bit by the atmosphere. This is the type of band that wants you standing up and hopping around in a tight basement. It was simply too early in the night for the audience to muster that kind of wild energy, but the band didn’t step down. They seemed grateful to be there and hit their songs hard. The songs with their wild, youthful energy felt the most invigorating and I’m excited to put a few of them on a psych up/workout playlist. “Ballerina” in particular stood out as one of the heavier songs played, the guitars swirling and twanging against the drumbeat.

Here’s a wonderful little video that encapsulates everything I liked about Good Morning Midnight. It has it all: a quintessentially 90s style, references to Iowa City, and sarcasm. While the band definitely takes their music seriously, they seem willing to poke fun at themselves. The band isn’t totally self-serious and is willing to put humor into their shows.

The slight banter between songs mostly included the members smiling and interacting with the random tidbits yelled out by the audience. It was an ingratiating performance that made me want to support the band and look them up further. Good Morning Midnight’s short set was a wonderful opening to a night that included a lot of amazing music and they served as the energetic kickoff to the whole night. I encourage everyone to check them out.

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Hogue seems equally inspired by 90’s pop artists like Mariah Carey and Avril Lavigne. Their songs crush up these influences and grind them into a mixture of all pop, culminating in a sound full of gargantuan hooks and effervescent pop.

Nothing demonstrates Babygirl’s talents like the opening track on the album, the outright banger, “Heels.”

With a driving beat and piercing vocals, “Heels” is the epitome of Sir Babygirl’s blatant extra-ness. The song is absolutely intoxicating when Hogue goes into their high register to sing “I changed my hair,” stretching out that final word until it becomes a scream. When I first heard that sound, everything Hogue was doing coalesced. I sat up and realized the truth about Sir Babygirl. They simply do not care how anyone views them.

The entire album, and specifically “Heels” itself, feels centered on the idea of living a life free from expectations. The song’s breakup narrative feels secondary to the triumphant act of finding oneself. When Hogue sings about changing their hair, it is not a simple dye-job. It is a declaration of independence and self-assurance. Although, they probably also dyed their hair, which is often a striking neon green. 

Sir Babygirl’s abhorrence of judgement and lack of traditional expectations may stem from Hogue’s status as a non-binary artist. The entire Sir Babygirl project is unabashedly queer, with the bisexual Hogue mostly writing about female love interests.

Using pop as their canvas, Sir Babygirl cuts through the heteronormativity of pop and does it with a smile. Look at the gender presentation being twisted in the “Crush on Me” video, as Hogue inhabits both gender binaries. 

Sir Babygirl eschews the male gaze and centers on the female perspective. It’s a welcome relief to see someone in pop at least attempting to upend these norms. Sir Babygirl tends to do so in startling ways.

Just look at the video for the single “Haunted House.” It uses a pop trope, the party song against parties. But, it’s delightfully unhinged and invigorates the tired concept. The idea of a haunted house is demonstrated in the demented melody and performance Sir Babygirl inhabits. Forcing one to say, “this is a downright awful party, but I want to dance to this song.”

“Heels” is more restrained than that “Haunted House,” but it doesn’t feel like a let-down. Instead, the song features Sir Babygirl at their most accessible and vulnerable.

There is a genuine pain in Hogue’s vocal performance, but it’s tempered with a dash of hope. “Lights shine brighter when there’s tears in your eyes” sits in the middle of the chorus and serves as the illuminating lyric. Sir Babygirl speaks to struggle, yet finds the happiness inside it. Every bad experience will lead to a good one. And good experiences will lead to better ones.

The entire Sir Babygirl project feels centered around a singular idea: joy.

“Heels” is only the beginning of Sir Babygirl’s album, but joy is simply unleashed in this song. Sir Babygirl is an artist who truly lets emotion show and burst forth. The song is an explosion of hooks and bravado.

“Heels” has been stuck on repeat in my world for a full week. I’ve forced friends to listen to it at parties. I texted it to another friend saying, “You’ll either love this or hate this” (she loved it). I made my brother listen to it in the car (he called it “fun and weird”). And finally, I subjected it to all you readers. I hope the joy of the song makes its way to you, riding the hard beat and piercing vocals straight to you.

Sir Babygirl is an up and coming indie powerhouse, and I think a future album could be a big breakthrough. For now though, I will continue listening to “Heels” over and over until I wear it out. Then, I’ll probably move onto the next song.

Listen to if you like: Charli XCX, Frankie Cosmos, Avril Lavigne, or Mitski.

This is part of the column Song Obsession (formerly Song of the Week).

Sir Babygirl’s debut album Crush on Me is out on Father/Daughter Records now.  

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This phrase comes from Phoebe Bridgers’ and Conor Oberst’s new collaborative album as Better Oblivion Community Center. On their song, “Dylan Thomas,” the two singers harmonize as they sing the phrase “A Seizure!” with an enthusiasm that makes me laugh out loud every time I hear it. Something about that phrase encapsulates the entire song. It’s dark and depressing, but also flat-out fun.

“Dylan Thomas” is the definite highlight of the new album, which gloriously combines the best of what the two famed songwriters have to offer. Songs range from vaguely electronic (“Exception to the Rule“) to folk ballad (“Chesapeake“), but nothing is as rock influenced as “Dylan Thomas.” And that’s a shame because it works so well here.

The song features not one, but two kick-ass guitar solos from ace guitar player (and Yeah Yeah Yeah’s member) Nick Zinner. It feels like the song where Oberst and Bridgers are having the most fun. They are truly letting loose in ways not always seen on their past solo albums.

Oberst in particular has been lacking a certain sense of fun in some of his post-Bright Eyes solo work. Of course, his albums like the devastating Ruminations gain power through their dour and restrained attitudes, but it’s enriching to see him upbeat for once.

Bridgers is also at the top of her game on this song (and the album as a whole), but she hasn’t been down in a long time. Collaborations, like her turn with Julien Baker and Lucy Dacus on Boygenius, definitely show off her strong suits.

Listening to “Dylan Thomas,” I am struck by the fine tone it strikes. It mixes comedy and tragedy to great effect. Using the famed poet as its title and parallel, Oberst and Bridgers delve into a seemingly dark time in their lives. Dylan was infamous for his heavy drinking and more than a few philandering tales. Better Oblivion Community Center spins this downward spiral into the hilarious one liner, “I’m taking a shower at the Bates Motel.” It’s funny, but like the rest of the song, there’s a sadness underneath. The narrators at the heart of this song see their bad choices and try to pull away from them but cannot stop.

Marvelously, this song doesn’t have a chorus that repeats traditionally, but loses no power because of it. This is by far the most instantaneous and gripping song on the album. While hearing it, it’s hard not to think of the recent news that has put Phoebe Bridgers back into the spotlight. The New York Times article on Ryan Adam’s gross and predatory behavior features Bridgers discussing her past relationship with the artist and the abusive behavior he engaged in. This song (and all of Bridgers’ work) feels like a fire against Adams, who did everything to control the careers of the women in his circle. Her connection with Oberst demonstrates the antithesis of this abusive relationship, as the two share a genuine partnership. They sing in unison throughout the song and are a true team. The new narrative surrounding Bridgers feeds into the song’s story of a downward spiral, but the song conquers those dark times.

“Dylan Thomas” is not a tale of succumbing to the difficulties. It is one where the protagonists struggle and then come out the other side. Oberst and Bridgers take to heart Thomas’ most famous line, “Do not go gentle into that good night.” They instead decide to rage in a song that truly seems to encapsulate everything these two emotional singer-songwriters are about. Honesty in their past experiences, but a desire to move past them. Those qualities have been seen in Oberst’s Bright Eyes material and Bridger’s excellent debut album. Overall, this song is the strongest off their new album, not because of a funny line about a seizure, but because it is the most emotionally honest and rocking song on an album full of emotional and honest songs. It’s one of the best songs either famed songwriter has written and it is a must listen.

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