GINA BIRCH – I PLAY MY BASS LOUD
Damned good stuff on the post-punk legend’s debut solo album
The terms legend and legendary get banded around far too easily these days but Gina Birch - a founding member and half of The Raincoats’ core duo since 1977, former member of The Red Krayola, artist, film maker - is truly legendary. Just look at the celebrity fans involved with this album. It is released on Jack White’s Third Man Records label. Thurston (Sonic Youth) Moore, Killing Joke’s Youth, Jane Crockford of The Modettes and Angel Olsen’s bassist Emily Elhaj all feature. Oh, and The Raincoats were due to support Nirvana at Kurt Cobain’s request on the tour that tragically never happened.
In her own words, Birch is “not some groovy young rapper”, she’s “this old white woman” who wants to stick her head outta the window and yell “HELL, I’M HERE, AND I’M PLAYING MY BASS LOUD!” And she certainly does play her bass loud. The sound ranges from dub/reggae (the title track, Big Mouth, Feminist Song) to pop/post-punk hybrid (Wish I Was You) via 60s girl-group meets The Jesus & Mary Chain (I Am Rage), tone poem (And Then It Happened) and what could have been a Bond theme in an alternate universe (Dance Like A Demon). Lyrics take in a tribute to Pussy Riot, the folly of wearing stilettos, female agency and more.
This record is perhaps not as transformative or downright exciting as some of the music in Birch’s back catalogue. It is still a damned fine album that is worth 45 minutes of anyone’s time.
7.5/10
