REVIEW: illuminati hotties - ‘Let Me Do One More’
Sarah Tudzin, the mastermind behind the punchy alternative-emo illuminati hotties, joined forces with Hopeless Records this year to help release what has been created, a third album: Let Me Do One More. The self-proclaimed & self-coined ‘tenderpunk’ artist made a partnership with Hopeless to collaborate with her own label, Snack Shack Tracks. Such firepower of support & resources led to another illuminati hotties full length project after just a year-old predecessor. And we’re certainly not complaining!
Photo by Mariah Russek
After last year’s release of FREE I.H. (an album that shamelessly criticized the music industry as Tudzin was battling a former label’s contract), we’re re-introduced to illuminati hotties witty lines & irresistibly catchy choruses with Let Me Do One More. “MMMOOOAAAAAYAYA” was the leading single of the album, released over the summer and garnered a ton of positive feedback despite the loud, unintelligible title. The album is purposefully structured to be listened to in order to experience the sonic rolling waves from each individual song that coincides with Tudzin’s lyrics of personal up’s and down’s. Jumping off the diving board is the most uptempo track, “Pool Hopping,” and then after a while of swimming & splashing, is floating around during a daydream to slower, grungier tracks like “Threatening Each Other re: Capitalism” and “Protector.” Tudzin even exposes the softer, acoustic side with complicated love song, “The Sway” and reverberating final track, “Growth”…in which, we’re now crying in the pool… if we wanted to elongate this analogy.
Let Me Do One More intertwines so many elements of signature sounds attributed to certain decades. For instance, “u u v p” and “Joni: LA’s No. Health Goth” share components of the 50’s & 60’s components with accents of castanets and guitar twangs along with voiceovers indicating an old-fashioned hosts (one of which is voiced by Big Thief’s Buck Meek.) Trademark 70’s & 80’s sounds are also prevalent with prolonged synths and distorted electric guitars throughout the record. The 90’s grunge/punk rock ethos is one that illuminati hotties has mastered and refined in her own fashion over the years. “Cheap Shoes” and “Knead” in particular pay homage imposingly to that kind of atmosphere. Her fierce vocals paired with a shoe-gaze grit results in one powerful punk piece.
Let Me Do One More explores illuminati hotties’ personal & musical growth. Although, Tudzin’s career has had its challenges, this album reclaims her control with pride & triumph. And with that, perhaps listeners will feel emboldened to strive for the same.
LISTEN TO ‘LET ME DO ONE MORE’ HERE
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