August 24, 2009

My First Earthquake//Outta The Band

A letter you may have already read, this time with Lisa Frank unicorn stickers all over it: Monday Mail
What is Monday Mail?

Ok, Josh at Fanatic, you got me. You filled my inbox with my not-so-covert kryptonite/dirty little secret music: the post-modern and more irreverent riff on the original “serious” Riot Grrrl movement or a pop take on grittier garage rock. These are the Boyskouts and the Metrics and the Yeah Yeah Yeahs of the world. This is more like riot-girly than Riot Grrrl, but you can hear the influence and appreciate that a song like “Outta the Band” couldn’t exist without a band like Sleater-Kinney or a song like their own “You’re No Rock and Roll Fun.” Even so, “Out of the Band” gets pretty damn tongue-in-cheek, not just toward popular music, but also to the feminist band that the lead singer defects into after refusing a boob job. What I’m trying to say here is that while Corin Tucker does Betty Freidan proud, it seems more like Rebecca Bortman’s writing fan mail to Candace Bushnell...and that’s mostly fine with me. Sure, I’d rather watch an obscure feminist Czech New Wave film, but I’ve been known to enjoy the odd episode of “Sex in the City.” Oh my, I’m mixing my media metaphors.

Josh writes:

After racking up a cool 40,000+ views of “Cool In The Cool Way,” its ode to hipster body snatchers, San Francisco’s My First Earthquake has dropped “Outta The Band” the latest single and video from its popular full-length debut, Downstairs, produced by Anthony Molina of Mercury Rev.

Ok. So “Cool in the Cool Way,” which references the oft-remembered and much-beloved 80s kid snap bracelet meme, might be a little too cool for me. But “Outta the Band,” with it’s witty lyrics and it’s simple not-quite-punk fuzzy guitar progression, suits me fine. This goes out to all the girls who got kicked out of the tree-houses of the boys for wearing their leopard print snap bracelets. Or something.



Outta the Band.mp3

Knew it was the final straw,
Wouldn’t hold the lollipop
At the photoshoot last week.
Well, I have found a better band,
One that don’t require men.
All our songs are about the body politic.
All our songs are covers
And we all have multiple lovers
And we’re called The Beckys.

2 comments:

Rebecca said...

Your thoughtful insight on our song is making my day! Mix away with those media metaphors! Thanks!

g said...

Thanks, Rebecca. It was fun to write. Best of luck to you and the band.