Album cover for the soundtrack of the 2009 movie "Whip It".
There are few movies that hold as much nostalgia for me as the Drew Barrymore-directed “Whip It,” released in 2009. I grew up watching roller derby in my hometown and, because “Whip It” was the only movie I’d ever seen about roller derby, it quickly became a favorite.
The movie itself emanates 2000s alternative coolness. Elliot Page plays a teenager who attempts to find a way out of her small Texas hometown through joining a roller derby team. In the same way that “Juno” feels eternally 2007, “Whip It” feels eternally 2009.
When I got my first iPod, I downloaded the soundtrack to the movie. It left an imprint on me that I think likely contributes to my interest in alternative music today.
The movie utilizes a lot of high-tempo rock. The Ramones’ “Sheena Is A Punk Rocker,” featured in the film, is arguably the first thing that led me towards punk rock. Throughout the story, Page’s character Bliss is faced with choosing between two worlds– that of her mother, which is full of pageants and custom gowns, and that of her roller derby dreams, filled with blue hair, scraped knees and beer.
“Pot Kettle Black” by Tilly and The Wall matches the high-tempo theme and adds in a new theme of chanting-shouting-screaming that the rest of the soundtrack showcases as well, with “Boys Wanna Be Her” by Peaches keeping it up. Lyrics from Peaches’ song repeat “The boys wanna be her / The girls wanna be her,” undoubtedly adding to how badly I wanted to be Bliss Cavendar.
The soundtrack features a lot of then-current indie rock, but also has a few classics such as 38 Special’s “Caught Up In You” and “Jolene” by Dolly Parton. At a point in the story where Bliss begins to date a new love interest, the music gets a bit softer, with tracks like “Learningalilgivinanlovin” by Gotye (pre-Somebody That I Used to Know!).
The movie itself is a bit of a mess– weird pacing, plot holes and questionable aspects of its storyline keeps it from standing up to much criticism– but it’s incredibly loveable, and its soundtrack is equally sentimental.
I had a weird time last week. After contracting a cold from a Durham Chuck-E-Cheese’s, (I won’t add context) I spent around seven days in such acute respiratory distress that I reckon I only slept about three hours each night.
When you’re deprived of sleep, reality becomes indistinct. Such an effect is only furthered when you continue to attend your regular 9-to-5 and self-medicate with menthol-strawberry flavored lozenges.
It was during this strange and (frankly) horrible time that I became slightly unhinged. The only thing that kept me sane was the collection of music I listened to as I struggled to fall asleep.
I first heard Babes in Toyland at three in the morning as I lay on the couch sipping my third cup of herbal tea. Considering the band’s sound, it’s a strange juxtaposition.
Babes in Toyland was an American rock band formed 1987 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Though the band no longer exists, it certainly left an imprint on the music world.
“Babes In Toyland performing in Groningen, Netherlands, 1991,’ uploaded to Wikimedia Commons by Greg Neate, licensed CC BY 2.0
The Band
Babes in Toyland consisted of a series of women, ultimately ending with frontwoman Kat Bjelland, drummer Lori Barbero and bassist Clara Salyer (brought on in 2015).
Bjelland and Barbero met at a mutual friend’s barbecue, laying the foundation for what would eventually become one of the most inlfuential female-fronted bands in the alternative rock scene.
Before disbanding in 2001, the band produced three studio albums, “Spanking Machine” (1990), “Fontanelle” (1992) and “Nemesisters” (1995).
The band was known for its particular brand of harsh rock music, with Bjelland’s screaming voice and lashing guitar mingling with the intensity of Barbero’s drums.
Though not technically a “feminist” band, Babes in Toyland covered themes related to female empowerment and feminine rage.
I, I live in the densest corner Of the deepest mind of the f–most room And sing “the stars they swing from their chandelier strings” (I know real love) You know who you are You’re dead meat, mother– You don’t try to rape a goddess
“Bluebell,” Babes in Toyland
Riot Grrrls
While their sound is decidedly more grunge than that of their many contemporaries, such as Bikini Kill, Babes in Toyland is largely considered to fall under the “riot grrrl” umbrella.
Riot Grrrl, born from the culture of sexism rife within the punk community, grew into a culture of its own with the efforts of inspired, passionate and angry young women.
Babes in Toyland captures this anger in a bold and brash display.
Cover for “Nemesisters” by Babes in Toyland
Some tracks are purely vengeful while others are irreverent and sardonic. They’re consistently punchy, tinged with a classic grunge smokiness around the edges.
Lyrics are cheeky, insolent and occassionally abusive, laden with vulgarity, profanity and innuendo. Listeners are struck by a sense of brilliant confidence, a kind of uncaring conviction typically reserved for men.
I wear the same face as you And you share my sick point of view But I do hate you Vomit my heart Pull my head apart Vomit my heart Pull my legs apart
“Vomit Heart,” Babes in Toyland
This doesn’t mean that Babes in Toyland is necessarily masculine, but rather that they redefine and recontextualize what femininity can be. Listening to their discography doesn’t invoke a sense of imitation, but rather the creation of something original and wholly unapologetic.
Cover for “Fontanelle” by Babes in Toyland
Their work is inspiring. Kathleen Hanna of Bikini Kill testifies to this, stating in an interview, “Even in the ’90s, Babes in Toyland was a band that was hugely important to us and we were like, God if only we could play awesome shows like Babes in Toyland.”
For women and girls feeling displaced in the music scene, it’s a valuable experience to not only look up to a female-fronted band, but to look up to a female-fronted band that’s arguably heavier and harsher than many of its male-fronted counterparts.
K-Pop Bash banner. Photo provided by Jared Spector
I’ll be the first to admit I had a K-Pop phase– my “kpoop” playlist remains a staple of my Spotify profile even though I’m no longer trading photocards of my favorite idols. K-Pop is ever-growing and the fanbase of the many groups that make up the genre is only getting bigger.
There’s a lot of opportunities for K-Pop fans to interact with music and communities online, but due to the global reach of many K-Pop groups, opportunities to see favorite artists are few and far between and are usually only found in big cities with expensive, nosebleed-seat tickets.
Citizens of Raleigh– fear not! K-Pop is coming to Ruby Deluxe in the form of a K-Pop Bash being put on by local DJ and music producer Rusty later this month. I asked Rusty a few questions about his event to get some information about what to expect for this first-of-its-kind event.
What is the K-Pop Bash?
“K-Pop Bash is a brand new monthly event that I’m hoping to expand in North Carolina. Our aim is to bring a K-pop filled night to fans while providing a safe space while dancing their favorite music, and meeting new people.”
Who are some of the artists you’ll be playing?
“A few of the artists we’re going to play are groups like BTS, Blackpink, Seventeen, NewJeans, TXT, NCT 127 and Twice. Honestly, there’s so many groups we’re hoping to play, I hope people come and find new songs and groups to enjoy. I personally enjoy finding hidden gems within the genre.”
Will this be a regular/monthly event?
“The aim is to make this a monthly event, so I’ve been working on getting an event booked for each month. July 20th is our first and we have another one in August, which we’ll announce a bit later.”
What are you most excited about for the Bash?
“The thing I’m most excited for is seeing how this event can grow. These kinds of events really only happen because of community and so far I’ve been amazed out how excited everyone is for this kind of event.”
The K-Pop Bash will take place at Ruby Deluxe in Raleigh, July 20 at 10 p.m. More information about the event can be found at this link. If you’ve wanted to have a BTS dance party somewhere other than your own bedroom, now’s a great chance.
Cover for "Only Theatre of Pain" by Christian Death
“Only Theatre of Pain” is the first studio album by American goth band Christian Death. This album is exactly what I would imagine as the backdrop for a Poppy Z. Brite or Anne Rice novel, something vampiric and sensual and darkly romantic.
Released through Frontier records on March 24, 1982, the 16-track album is 52 minutes of pure gothic insanity.
Christian Death 12/3/1982 at the Cove, Hermosa Beach, CA. Rozz Williams (vocals) & Johnnie Sage (guitar) pictured, picture released into the public domain.
For individuals interested in getting into goth music or for those simply curious as to what “goth” sounds like, “Only Theatre of Pain” is by far one of the most archetypically goth albums I can recommend.
The album smacks of classic goth aesthetics, with invocations of magic, blood and allusions to religious texts and the works of Poe. Each track is its own story, united under a cowl of enigmatic mystique.
It’s a riveting experience.
The Album
The album’s opening track, “Cavity – First Communion” starts with foreboding church bells and a swell of drums and guitar.
The melody is warm and vaporous like incense smoke, the trilling guitar at times echoing the cries of a church choir. Vocalist Rozz Williams falls in with his distinctive voice, both raspy and insouciant, and weaves together a tapestry of dark poetry.
Let’s skirt the issue of discipline Let’s start an illusion With hand and pen Re-read the words and start again Accept the gift of sin The gift of …
“Cavity – First Communion,” Christian Death
Following this song is “Figurative Theatre,” one of Christian Death’s most popular tracks.
The song opens with with immediate energy. The rolling guitar slant is classic. Every time I hear it, I know exactly what’s coming next, and that’s the brilliance of Rozz Williams’s penchant for extended metaphor. This brilliance pervades throughout the rest of the album.
“Rozz at Daucus Karota concert,” uploaded to Wikimedia Commons by B. Dippel, licensed CC BY-SA 3.0
Breath ballet prancers spin on porcelain backbones A child’s muddled cry turns into hilarity Ungracious freeloaders leave their dead on a doorstep Flowers of doom all bloom in prosperity
Their razor sharp tongues invite to relax As they slip the skin on your eyelids back Invasive spectators get into the act With roses and candles, silver knives and spoons With silver knives and spoons
“Figurative Theatre,” Christian Death
What I most admire about Christian Death is the way lyrics are translated through the mechanism of Rozz Williams.
His lyrics are intentionally abstract, blending imagery both horrific and holy to illustrate an ambiguous picture. When paired with his irreverent voice, otherwise grotesque concepts become dramatic and theatrical.
The album’s tenth track, “Prayer,” is a sort of intermission — largely instrumental and avant garde (reminiscent of the sounds of Williams’s Shadow Project) — that ushers in the following (bonus) track, “Deathwish,” and its melancholic nihilism.
I see the end, I see the end Well it was open so I crawled inside And someone up ahead was crying Well someone up ahead was dying Lost in the darkness, lost in today…
“Deathwish,” Christian Death
Another notable track, “Desperate Hell,” opens with an eerie harmony of ghostly wails, drums and guitar. Williams’s quavering voice enters before the melody becomes manic and straight-up dastardly as the song’s speaker is dragged into eternal damnation.
Final Thoughts
For fans of the esoteric and occasionally inscrutable, “Only Theatre of Pain” is a valuable resource.
From start to finish, the album is a journey. Perhaps even a horror, with the lurid and the beautiful posed side-by-side. Rozz Williams does not tell the listener what to think, but rather creates a vivid picture to do so for him.
Through the progression of abstract concepts, Williams tells a convoluted tale of perversion and devotion and subversion.
Every time I listen to the album, I notice something different. The album is so multitudinous, both in its lyrical construction and experimental sound design, that there seems to always be something new to notice.
Branching off from the punk subculture, riot grrrl built its culture through the dissemination of fanzines, original art and music.
This playlist aims to capture some of the sounds that built the riot grrrl movement and continue to change the lives of girls and women in the scene.
The Playlist
“New Radio” – Bikini Kill
“Alien She” – Bikini Kill
“Suck My Left One” – Bikini Kill
Bikini Kill changed me.
I don’t even mean that as an exaggeration. Vocalist Kathleen Hanna’s particular brand of unrestrained rage truly speaks to me, and what it says is that I need to get a new facial piercing.
“Eating Toothpaste” – Bratmobile
“Bitch Theme” – Bratmobile
“Don’t Ask Don’t Tell” – Bratmobile
Bratmobile is a classic riot grrrl band. With their hit song “Cool Schmool,” they give off a disaffected “cool girl” style that I really love.
“Jenny” – Sleater-Kinney
“Words and Guitar” – Sleater-Kinney
“Don’t Think You Wanna” – Sleater-Kinney
Sleater-Kinney presents a rolling, twangy rock sound that evokes orange-tinged skies and flannel shirts.
“Bluebell” – Babes in Toyland
“Hello” – Babes in Toyland
“Pain in My Heart” – Babes in Toyland
Babes in Toyland presents a similarly unrestrained sound as Bikini Kill, with moaning vocals giving way to full-on screams. Though it also has a grungy slant, as though the music were being diffused through smoke.
I was introduced to the new Frost Children album, “SPEED RUN” by a friend who said that the song “HI 5” seemed like something I would like. Within a few listens the song became a staple on many playlists of mine– the samples of Yoshi from “Super Smash Bros. Melee” made it an easy win in my book.
Pitchfork said in their review of the album that it came off as “creatively vacant,” and that wore away at the listening value of the LP. I’m here to agree on the vacancy described, but also to say that I felt that was the point of the album.
It’s similar to the 100 gecs or Black Dresses use a sense of silliness or airheadedness to add to the appeal of their already-chaotic music. Frost Children adopts this sort of ‘indie sleaze’ idea that is so popular among new and emerging music of 2023 into hyperpop, an ever-changing and growing genre without well-defined limits.
I’ll admit that there are songs on “SPEED RUN” that fall flat and lack much appeal. “ALL I GOT,” which was released as a single alongside “HI 5” and “FLATLINE,” isn’t a song I would write home about. It’s pretty simple and gets grating after a few listens due to its repetitiveness and simplicity.
“SICK TRIP,” heavily criticized in the aforementioned Pitchfork article, is actually one of my favorite songs off the album. It’s cheesy and kitschy in a way that indie sleaze should be. If 100 gecs is praised for songs like “Frog On the Floor” or “I Got My Tooth Removed,” then Frost Children can be praised for the ways they embrace cringe. The duo, siblings Angel and Lulu Prost, have actually spoken previously in an interview with Office Magazine about “embracing cringe.”
Although the album is not a 10/10, it’s fun to listen to and excites a lot of what I love about music and about hyperpop specifically.
Songs to Start With: “HI 5,” “FLATLINE,” “SICK TRIP”
