Short Story RecordsBitch’s second release, Blasted! is a bona fide labor or love, self-produced and fully funded by her loyal fan-base who labored themselves to the tune of $12,000. A ballsy, creative venture done by a few indie artists thus far, but pays off only for the truly original, passionate ones that appeal to music lovers with equal convictions. Blasted! shines with eclectic blend of electric violin, ukulele and moody, pulsating bass lines, all blissfully and ingenuously executed by Bitch. Add eclectic alt-folk rock, delicate layers of experimental instrumentation with affects, and probing, insightful lyrics. They travel from an introverted hinterland to a joyous landscape of sound meant to move and empower while leaving a lasting impression.
“Kitchen Dirty Revised” opens the record and sets an uplifting tone, with infused call and response and vocal layers conjuring up memories of group ‘sing-alongs’ and hand clapping in glorious unison. The loose, infectious beat stands alongside chirping birdies and Star Wars-like laser accompaniment. “Lost You” shifts gears a tad asking “what if love doesn’t multiply, just subtracts, scratches its fear on my face and marks me like that”. Her vocals convey the forlorn poignancy with warm, smoldering intensity. “Open Up” works up a groove with a bluesy guitar lead, and spoken word prose, eventually culminating with the indelible chorus, “The whole sky’s about to open up, and so am I”.
The title track, “Blasted” integrates her electric violin, so organic that it plays like a fiddle, no tweaks, just a raw timbre to match the emotion conveyed in her voice and the imagery the lyrics paint, “I’ll just add another scar to my belt, promise myself to never forget how this felt”. It concludes by sharply changing dynamics. “Bugs” rocks while delving into poetic verse intensely cradled by a booming chorus. “Wisdom” shifts and crafts into introspection “Lead me to your castle of would, far away from these shackles of should”. “Staying Alive” rounds out the brood with an inspirational call to action. “I get low I get high and if I can’t get either I really try”.
This sophomore release represents Bitch as an innovative songstress and musician who channels into her punk activism. She reaches out far and wide with her choice of instruments, themes and dynamics. Blasted! leaves its mark with slam-style poetics, stories of unrequited love, and empowering rock ballads. It’s an earnest, unifying assemblage true to its word and a gift to the fans who funded it.
Review by Cat Veit
