ALBUM REVIEW: My Ugly Clementine – Vitamin C
BEST TRACKS: Playground, Who, Try Me
FCC Violations: Don’t Talk to Me
This wholesome four-piece group from Vienna, Austria writes songs for a greater purpose than mere entertainment. Vitamin C, My Ugly Clementine’s debut album, tackles heavy topics such as gender equality, difficult breakups, and self-confidence. Though the band has been together for less than two years, it’s evident by this album’s impeccable composure that this group has already cracked the code to making ears perk up. The band is already known as a supergroup in the Viennese music circle, but are just starting to make promising strides in the U.S.
Instrumental on this album sounds very 90s, including guitar with an exact twinge of fuzz that makes you double check to see when this album was actually recorded. Don’t let the Summery sounds on this album fool you, there are are some meaningful lyrics at work. The first track on the album, Playground, has incredible sway, while clearly conveying the message that being a woman is not a handicap. The last track, Peptalk, is the slowest and most somber song on the album, but arguably the most uplifting, about a person reminding themselves of their individual value.
I appreciate the clear messages embedded in each and every song on this album. There are no excruciatingly vague lyrics that leave you struggling to figure out just what the heck the band is harping on about. I don’t mean to say that songs that leave some interpretation up to the listener are bad, but when lyrics are too generic, it just comes off as lazy songwriting.
Listen to this album if you’re having difficulty being alone with yourself during this quarantine, or if you’re in the process of defining your own identity. This album will empower you and remind you that you’re good enough. I’d also recommend this album to you if you like bands like Soccer Mommy, Haley Heynderickx, and Lucy Dacus.
-Safia