{"id":3619,"date":"2019-02-05T05:00:29","date_gmt":"2019-02-05T05:00:29","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/rpmonline.co.uk\/?p=3619"},"modified":"2019-02-05T08:11:46","modified_gmt":"2019-02-05T08:11:46","slug":"laura-jane-grace-the-devouring-mothers-bought-to-rot-bloodshot-records","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/rpmonline.co.uk\/?p=3619","title":{"rendered":"Laura Jane Grace & the Devouring Mothers \u2013 \u2018Bought To Rot\u2019 (Bloodshot Records)"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"<\/a>Against Me! frontwoman Laura Jane Grace has never been one to shy away from subject matters that are close to her heart or one who is afraid to vent her anger. And while the US punk band has been the vehicle for rants and diatribes for the past 10 years, her new side project The Devouring Mothers is lyrically more introspective and musically a more diverse and laid back affair.<\/p>\n

Joined by Against Me! drummer Atom Willard and Against Me! producer Marc Jacob Hudson on bass duties, \u2018Bought To Rot\u2019 is an album heavily influenced by Tom Petty\u2019s \u2018Full Moon Fever\u2019. Laura Jane Grace continues the tongue in cheek lyricism, yet avoids the lyrical themes of the day job, namely gender identity and politics, choosing matters close to the heart like lost love, new friends and hating Chicago!<\/p>\n

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Opener \u2018China Beach\u2019 draws you in with its Iggy Pop\/Patti Smith feel, the lyrics delivered almost spoken word, a series of questions, as the rhythm section jams out some cool 70\u2019s styled NY beats behind her as it builds to a chaotic finale.<\/p>\n

Chaos and melody intertwine throughout the album over simple chord progressions. The name of the game; squeeze too many syllables into verses, before breaking into an anthemic chorus, it\u2019s an art form that is perfectly executed. The likes of \u2018Born In Black\u2019 and the following \u2018The Airplane Song\u2019 are fine examples of this.<\/p>\n

\u2018Apocalypse Now (& Later)\u2019 is full on Petty vibes that build on a jangly verse to a killer chorus. Let\u2019s hold hands and watch the apocalypse together… sublime poetry in motion. Following the same sentiment, \u2018The Friendship Song\u2019 plays out like its companion song, the happy-go-lucky feel sits well.<\/p>\n

In contrast, the aforementioned \u2018Valeria Golina\u2019 is a dark and messy one chord wonder and \u2018Manic Depression\u2019 an even darker blues drenched jam out that mesmerises as you take in the singer\u2019s head fucked train of thought. \u201cI can\u2019t help what my head is telling\u201d me she drawls before feedback and a descending guitar solo takes precedence.<\/p>\n

On first listen \u2018I Hate Chicago\u2019 is a lyrical diatribe aimed at her adopted home town, but on closer inspection, it\u2019s more of a break-up song, name-checking traffic, sport and Lollapalooza amongst others. These are the places and feelings that are reminders of pain and hurt from the city where her ex lives. It\u2019s a ballsy and brilliant statement and one of the standout cuts on offer.<\/p>\n

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To go from \u2018New Values\u2019 era Iggy with bumbling bass and intertwining guitars (The Acid Test Song\u2019), to almost a bedtime lullaby (\u2018The Hotel Song\u2019), onto a dark and foreboding one chord rant (\u2018Valeria Golina\u2019) takes some doing. Apparently, the intention was to create the feel of a mixtape and I think in that respect Laura Jane Grace has succeeded.<\/p>\n

Loose and stripped back, avoiding the lyrical themes of her day job and concentrating on life, love and friendship, \u2018Bought To Rot\u2019 is not as visceral as anything by Against Me!, but \u2018Bought To Rot\u2019 still manages to be punk as fuck.<\/p>\n