American pop-punk lady group The Drama Dolls is ready to pop out into the limelight with their debut EP Over the Shoulder/Boulder Holder. Somewhere in between the Misfits and the Bangles, or a love child of the Ramones and the Go-Go’s, Drama Dolls sound like a band with no fucks left to give.
The States has had its own unique strain of punk music, going back to the early pioneers such as The New York Dolls, Iggy & The Stooges, The MC5, and The Velvet Underground. While it was a male-dominated scene, there was also the hugely-influential Pattie Smith, who sort of paved the way for modern-day groups like The Drama Dolls.
American punks stood out from their UK counterparts right from the beginning of the movement. The Brits were sporting Mohawks, stitching revolutionary slogans on leather jackets, and doing speed. The Americans, on the other hand, were cross-dressing, attending poetry circles, and shooting up. British groups like The Sex Pistols and The Clash wore their politics on their sleeves and were firmly anti-authoritarian, while The New York Dolls and MC5 just wanted to party and play, like, three chords. Fast-forward five decades later, and the Drama Dolls are still keeping that American punk spirit alive.
You can almost imagine the scene as you’re listening to “Favorite Girl” pumping out of the shitty speakers of your favourite, dank music venue. Picture yourself standing there, your favourite drink in hand, wearing your latest thrift-store finds with pride, looking onwards at other individuals who share some of your cultural kinks. There’s a guy out front-and-centre eager to get his ass kicked in a mosh pit. There are the scene guardians, keeping a sceptical eye on said dude, and trying to maintain a safe-zone for the regular Drama Dolls crowd, finally able to apply all the Kathleen Hannah lit they’ve been blowing through. There’s the cute one you can’t help but sneak a glance at every minute or so, holding a craft beer, bobbing head so shyly to the beat. It’s dark, it’s sweaty, it’s boozy, and you’re generally glad to be there.
The melody on “Favorite Girl” is very much something you would hear on a Donnas record from back in the day, and that’s a welcome bit of nostalgia. The vocals are all attitude; the sound of a lady who grew up being fed a steady diet of zines, rock n’ roll, and head-rush-inducing American confectionary. The bridge in this tune is a highlight, where an electric guitar is left to feedback over top of this killer descending chromatic bass-line. It’s almost another song in itself! But before we give away any ideas, have a listen for yourself and if we’re wrong about this, you can throw it all on our tab.
Listen to ‘Favorite Girl’ through here.
