Artists: illuminati hotties
Genre: Punk rock
Best Tracks: “MMMOOOAAAAAYAYA”, “Knead”, “u v v p”, “Kickflip” Weakest Track: “The Sway”
Release date: October 1, 2021
Duration: 41 min 4 sec
Sarah Tudzin is an American instrumentalist, sound engineer and producer who’s more famously known for fronting the band ‘illuminati hotties‘. The punk-rock band has released their latest record, ‘Let Me Do One More’ and it is chock full of delightful bangers.
“MMMOOOAAAAAYAYA” is the real highlight of the album. It is a bundle of unbridled joy and confidence. The music here is reckless and chaotic and Tudzin is in her top game. Her bombastic vocals remind one of the riot grrrl icon Kathleen Hanna who fronted the notorious punk bands Bikini Kill, Le Tigre and The Julie Ruin. The chorus is the most delightfully fun of any popular music these days.
“Pool Hopping” is another strong addition to the record, a lighthearted and frenetic punk track. The mood slightly changes with the tracks “Knead” and “Kickflip” which, in spite of the fun guitar riffs, betray a sense of anxiety and angst.
They are certainly the moodier and darker tracks alongside “Threatening Each Other Re: Capitalism” which is a sad, nostalgic song. It’s also lyrically brilliant as it balances themes of personal bittersweet memories with remarks on consumerism. Tudzin goes “the corner store’s got sugar pills to settle our consumer guilt. Once you’re hooked, they’ll cut a deal”.
Tudzin plays with the beach music genre with the track “u u v p” which has an almost sappy and romantic vibe. It’s a pleasant listen for sure. Although it may sound a bit monotonous to some listeners by the second minute mark, the song is massively improved with the guest vocals of Buck Meek in the outro. The Texas-born musician’s monologue is comical and unexpected but also surprisingly wholesome which makes it a great closer.
Another highlight on the album is “Joni: LA’s No. 1 Health Goth”, which feels like a love letter to the narrator’s girl crush going by the name of Joni. It almost feels like a homage to Bikini Kill’s classic ‘Rebel Girl’ which also portrays the author’s utter fascination and admiration for a charismatic woman. Sarah scream-sings “YOU WISH YOU WERE LIKE HER!” to aggressive percussion, bass and cymbals, totally energizing us.
‘Let Me Do One More’ is so far a sunny album, perfectly suited for beach days under the summer sun. But halfway through, it takes a more sombre, autumnal turn with slower-paced sad songs. “The Sway” and “Growth” are poignant slow burners with a soft rock feel to them. Sarah lyrically and sonically paints a picture of wistfulness and recalls heartbreaks and teenage love. The two tracks last a bit too long while also feeling slower. But thankfully, these are the last tracks of an otherwise great tracklist.
Sarah Tudzin released her second album, ‘I.H.: This Is Not The One You’ve Been Waiting For’ in 2020. It was hurriedly produced in a period of ten days, and the roughness and homogeneity of most of the songs in the album show that. Compared to it, ‘Let Me Do One More’ is a more refined record. It is conceptual and grounded with a maturer sound. Tudzin isn’t afraid to be emotionally vulnerable here while also balancing it well with light-hearted drollery. And that is the strength of the album.
Stream ‘Let Me Do One More’ on Spotify.
Listen to the album on YouTube.
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