Feel Your Feelings Fool! is the debut album by L.A. punk outfit the Regrettes. By and large a pop effort, the record is fuelled both sonically and lyrically by the riot grrrl movement of the '90s and accentuated by '60s doo-wop vocals found throughout.
At no point on the record is the 'Bikini Kill meets the Ronettes' concept more clear than on lead single "A Living Human Girl," a wonderfully lewd track that starts with bum-ba-dums and ends with a jab at male entitlement. Other influences poke out elsewhere: "Hot" channels the upbeat fury of early Arctic Monkeys; standout track "Pale Skin" is a Best Coast-style ballad with arresting instrumentals and melancholy, introspective lyrics. The Regrettes channel a number of clear influences but never feel purely derivative, thanks in large part to frontwoman Lydia Night's mature, gritty vocals.
The production on Fool! has the cleanliness you'd expect from a modern pop release, and while this makes for easy listening, the squeaky-clean cuts prove jarring next to the Regrettes' more lo-fi punk-leaning material. This may prove a turn-off for listeners who'll find these moments sounding too sanitized.
Feel Your Feelings Fool! is an energetic, empowering romp of a debut that would feel more rebellious if not for the overly safe production. Still though, these are the sorts of instantly catchy, well structured pop songs that artists twice Night's age spend a lifetime wishing they could pen.
(Warner)At no point on the record is the 'Bikini Kill meets the Ronettes' concept more clear than on lead single "A Living Human Girl," a wonderfully lewd track that starts with bum-ba-dums and ends with a jab at male entitlement. Other influences poke out elsewhere: "Hot" channels the upbeat fury of early Arctic Monkeys; standout track "Pale Skin" is a Best Coast-style ballad with arresting instrumentals and melancholy, introspective lyrics. The Regrettes channel a number of clear influences but never feel purely derivative, thanks in large part to frontwoman Lydia Night's mature, gritty vocals.
The production on Fool! has the cleanliness you'd expect from a modern pop release, and while this makes for easy listening, the squeaky-clean cuts prove jarring next to the Regrettes' more lo-fi punk-leaning material. This may prove a turn-off for listeners who'll find these moments sounding too sanitized.
Feel Your Feelings Fool! is an energetic, empowering romp of a debut that would feel more rebellious if not for the overly safe production. Still though, these are the sorts of instantly catchy, well structured pop songs that artists twice Night's age spend a lifetime wishing they could pen.
