CD of The Week

Lambrini Girls - Who Let the Dogs Out (City Slang)

The cover for the debut album, Who Let the Dogs Out, by Brighton, UK punk duo Lambrini Girls contains two images that present an accurate impression of the 30 minutes contained within. A stream of confetti symbolizes the exhilarating rush of the music, while the television on fire indicates the rage, especially directed at our mediated world that characterizes the lyrics and vocal delivery of every track. Singer/guitarist Phoebe Lunny and bassist Lily Macieira-Boşgelmez are on a mission to rock, but that mission also includes a healthy dose of intense catharsis and a tiny bit of education. Luckily, fun still predominates on an album where toilet humor sits alongside critiques of unfettered capitalism.

Most of the album’s 11 tracks share a spiky pop-punk musical center, but the band wisely explores different themes and subjects throughout. Many of these subjects are explicitly political, as Lambrini Girls sharply criticize militarized, racist police (“Bad Apple”), corporate sexual harassment (“Company Culture”), and gentrification (“You’re Not From Around Here”). Yet, the songwriting remains personal throughout, with the band’s unique perspective coming to the forefront with every crushing riff and darkly humorous line. Meanwhile, Lunny’s intense vocals, which bear some similarity to the cadence of Joe Talbot from Idles, (but with some occasional screams mixed in), always demand the listener’s attention. Lunny is clearly one of the next great rock frontwomen.

There’s a somewhat signpost-like quality to the lyrics that runs a risk of being dated (“Filthy Rich Nepo Baby” as a song title comes to mind), but this is a minor complaint when the delivery is so powerful and passionate. Gen-Z fans are likely to see their worldview reflected in songs such as “Special Different” (which may be one of the first punk anthems about neurodiversity) and even the closing, profane sing-along “Cuntology 101” which is the aggressive twist on “Hollaback Girl” that we didn’t know we needed during these tumultuous times.

Iggy Pop and Kathleen Hanna are early fans of Lambrini Girls and after one listen to the duo’s debut album, it is easy to understand why. They possess both the reckless energy of The Stooges and the righteous fury of Bikini Kill, while speaking directly to contemporary concerns in an accessible way. Who Let the Dogs Out is an exciting first effort that definitely proves worthy of the band’s initial hype.

Lambrini Girls will be bringing their raucous live show, with Party Dozen opening, to the Ukie Club on May 3rd.
Review by Sol