Music: Trophy Wife "Stella My Star" single

"Stella, My Star" features such a dead-on Kim Gordon impersonation from lead singer/arguable TW-mastermind, Sarah Cozort that I find it hard to take seriously. Kind of boring, dissonant guitar/bass/drums, yadayada...

The B side, "Frankie's Song" fairs much better. It feels rushed, unnatural, especially given the synth tone which sounds destined for sequencer-automation a la Human League, but instead is played with classic TW earnest-sloppiness. Meanwhile SC delivers the stuff of adolescent wet-nightmares. Melodically charged faux-naivety; she plays the victim, but her sexually-predatory nature shines over churning bass and tom-toms. It's all "Virgin Suicides" and that's pretty affecting, though the end break-down loses momentum and sounds slightly forced.

Another worthy and weird single from an already broken-up band, (see also: Buffalo Bangers,) on Private Leisure.

Prediction for the label: 2-3 more releases of increasing commercial appeal (rather than that fucking Taiwan Deth LP they've been sitting on,) then caput.

Prove me wrong, Private Leisure.

Music: Trophy Wife EP

Not to mention there isn't a single damn word printed on this thing other than the band's name. I know some of these got inserts, but not mine, I've no clue what those inserts said.

Roughly four songs of strangled-sounding instruments and floating-sort-of-ghostly Pretty vocals. It's extremely affecting. I like it a lot.

I know there is a song about ambiguous rape. One of them has "Somebody jizzed in the/ light socket" repeated quite a bit. But the crass lyrics are masked by Sarah Cozort's dark yet effervescent voice. It creeps into your headspace; it's at once arousing and ominous and surrounded by the buzzing no-wavey din the other girls create. Really Gothic-ass stuff.

Newer material by the band is predicted to be more New Wave-y, but this EP transcends immediate genres, and really doesn't sound that much like Sonic Youth, a major influence.

Pick it up from Private Leisure.
Trophy Wife have broken up, but we'll be sure to review their forthcoming EP which you should also pick up from Private Leisure, a pretty good label.  Highly Recomended!