Overall Score: 9/10 Vocals: 8/10 Lyrics: 9/10 Variety : 8/10 Pros: Filled with powerful lyrics that carry an important message | Consistently varied and interesting Cons: Nothing
Cut & Stitch is the second album from UK punks Petrol Girls. Like their previous work this is another furious blast of feminist punk. The thought behind Cut & Stitch is this ongoing patchwork of sounds and ideas. Both the bands musical influences and political ideas, that change is a constant process and this is something that flows through the entire album.
The Sound kicks the album off in suitably aggressive fashion but manages to be a real rousing track as well. It’s a rallying cry that ends with with vocalist Ren Aldridge screaming “make your own noise, disseminate”. Tangle Of Lives is a more sombre track, still filled with anger as the band turn their attention to the environmental issues we are all facing right now. It’s a real hard hitting track filled with some immensely powerful lyrics. The closing phrase of “I can feel the earth is shaking, she is screaming” really makes their point clear.
Lyrics are one of the albums strongest points. Both in terms of the political statements made and the occasional more personal track. That’s one of the biggest differences this time, there are some more introspective moments. Skye is the best example of the album of Ren showing a more vulnerable side. Instead of being an outwardly political track it’s a much more emotional one about the death of a family pet. This is one of a few tracks where she uses spoken word alongside her singing and screaming and it really adds a personal touch. Of course there are still plenty of tracks where the bands feminist views come screaming at you such as Big Mouth. A track that plenty of marginalised groups will relate to as they are expected to just keep quiet and put up with being oppressed and this is a defiant statement against that.
Whilst it is Ren who takes centre stage on the album being the voice to share to bands message, all four members deliver great performances. Musically it is a very dynamic album that draws from plenty of influences. The guitar work conjures up At The Drive-In and other technically minded post-hardcore bands. Things just never feel repetitive or uninspired.
Cut & Stitch just feels like a hugely important album right now. Instead of just five cis guys with little to say this is an album with a message that needs to be heard. It’s a fearless album that should inspire conversation and just shows how Petrol Girls have grown over the last few years. Hopefully they really start to catch on with this album as it’s just too good to go unnoticed.
Cut & Stitch is released today, May 24th 2019, through Hassle Records.
