The Coathangers
Scramble
Suicide Squeeze
Rating: 4
Have you ever gotten so mad that you had to go pump some iron so you wouldn’t rip somebody’s face off? Have you ever instantly fallen in love with someone just walking down the street?
With songs like “Gettin‘ Mad And Pumpin‘ Iron” and “143,“Atlanta-based all girl group The Coathangers scream and croon their way through hilarious and diverse topics on their second album Scramble, which came out on Apr. 7.
With a definite Riot Grrrl edge, the four Coathangers deliver a certain we-don’t-give-a-f**k unrefined punk feel that bands like Bikini Kill and X-Ray Spex dished out while adding old TV show sound bites and horse whinnies that mix it up.
The tracks are riddled with scratchy guitar and out of control, sometimes runaway percussion that accompany all four of The Coathangers‘ voices. With both high and squeaky as well as rough and husky pitches, The Coathangers shout and chant back and forth, throwing in a smoothed out love song every now and then, such as “Dreamboat” and “Sonic You.”
Some songs take no prisoners and really put you in your place. In “Stop Stomp Stompin‘,” a rowdy man upstairs is not too politely told, “It’s like you live in a jungle, but you ain’t no Tarzan. Your frame is so tiny, but you’re an elephant, man,” and “they say you’re a crackhead, and I believe that is true.“
All four Coathangers‘ musical abilities have improved since their debut album in 2007, but they don’t lose the raw, thrashing edge that makes this type of music so powerful and fun to listen to. If a girl with a cartoon character voice can scream “I just gotta tell you I’m gonna gonna break your f**king face!” and make you believe her, then you have to respect that.
If you’re looking for some truly fantastic and shocking one-liners, gritty yet smooth musical styling and thrash-around dance music, then this album is the one for you.
Give these tracks a listen: “Gettin‘ Mad And Pumpin‘ Iron,” “Stop Stomp Stompin‘,” “143“
For fans of: Bikini Kill, X-Ray Spex
– Elena Buckley
