- By Ella Mastroianni, Staff Writer
Artist: King Princess
Album: Girl Violence
Favorite Songs: “Covers,” “I Feel Pretty,” “Jaime”
For Fans Of: PVRIS, Inhaler, Wolf Alice
Sapphic pop-rock has been restored. That is to say, King Princess is back. The Brooklyn-based 26-year-old released their third album Girl Violence on September 12th, consisting of thirteen scream-worthy, cry-worthy, swoon-worthy tracks. This is Mikaela Straus’ first release through Section1, and it not only builds upon her previous bodies of work—Cheap Queen and Hold on Baby—but introduces new styles and lyrics that’ll captivate King Princess listeners new and old alike. So whether you’ve been listening since “1950” like me, or recently tuned in as a result of “Fantastic,” this album has got something you will want to put on repeat.
Like the album cover suggests, Girl Violence is a close-up. Straus’ glittery face is blurred because the world of Girl Violence is turbulent. This album was created in the aftermath of a long-term relationship’s end, but it would be remiss of me to call this a breakup album and nothing else. The devastation of a loss is undeniably captured alongside an equally undeniable focus on the road forward. The songs are sexy, sad, and more often than not a combo of both—which, honestly, is where Straus always exceeds. That and guitar solos, and there are a couple of those on the album, too.
In addition, Girl Violence pulls from a patchwork of collaborators (led by King Princess, Jacob Portrait, and Aire Atlantica) with experience creating and producing in a variety of genres. This blend makes the album strong in that it’s hard to definitively sonically categorize it as one thing or another. So whether you want to categorize each song as indie, pop, rock, or something else entirely, the one certainty is that they all work together. This is particularly evident when listening to the album chronologically, since each track reaches its fingers out into the next, creating a more than satisfying listening experience. What more can I say for an introduction? Girl Violence has me in its grip.
From “Talia” to “Jaime”
The album begins with a warped siren. This is the title track, “Girl Violence,” which drops us into a distorted, atmospheric reality (which will pop up intermittently during the 34 minute run time). King Princess’ voice is quiet, raspy, faraway in the “Oohs” coloring in the background before the instrumental drops, and we’re left with a question: “Why does nobody mention that girls can be violent?”
One such girl is “Jaime.” King Princess says that Jaime isn’t just one entity, but “more an idea of someone who will never accept you,” and that it can be anyone—a lover, a work colleague, even a record label. This is the second track, and one that King Princess has been teasing since long before the album’s announcement. What a relief it is to now know what happens past the first thirty seconds of this song—though, the opening is iconic, even before King Princess sings: “Jaime/ You’ve been patiently waiting to hate me/ And you and your friends sit and laugh, ha-ha.” The spelt out laughter is a fun element, and it’s counterbalanced with the “uh-huhs” scattered throughout the song. Not to mention the breakdown that concludes the song, which solidifies “Jaime” as an addictive listen—one of many.
“Jaime” flows right into “Origin,” so if you weren’t paying attention (like I wasn’t the first time around) you might not notice that a new song has begun. Out of all the songs on the album, “Origin” makes the most sense as a returning to self song. Though it may not be easy to detect on a first listen, “Origin” relies on KP’s reflective lyrics, and there’s a lot of power behind what is said. The narrative begins on a low note with teary eyed imagery, before the drum kicks in and launches us into a more uplifting picture. The narrator has lost someone, likely a person, but they are able to reframe it to make things “smell sweeter.” Then, the narrator talks to themself, and a reintroduction and reclamation occurs. They sing, “And I’m cool, I’m weirder, yeah, I’m hot, I’m deeper, I’m starting to feel myself again.” Some of the story unfolds amid Straus’ layered vocals, which is reminiscent of KP’s very first EP, Make My Bed—making this song a coming home in more ways than one. Straus says, [“Origin”] “feels like a declaration of where I’m at, [and] where I want to be.” By the end of the song, the narrator is growing and “reaching” as opposed to being reached for, like in the earlier verses. The instrumental it closes with brings listeners back to that atmospheric in-between space, where they’re seamlessly shifted into the next song.
“I Feel Pretty” is the number one song on my Spotify “On Repeat” playlist. The opening hits listeners with a rather twangy guitar that’s quickly swapped out for a groovy bass and a bright drum beat, naturally accompanied by KP’s echo-y vocal arrangement. The illusion of a vast acoustic space is created, and it all culminates in the last 30 seconds of the song with an epic guitar solo. This was Girl Violence’s “Ohio” moment, hands down.
Let Go Baby
It’s been three years since the release of Hold on Baby, but King Princess makes a reference to it at the end of “Alone Again.” After two minutes of a classic song about loneliness, breakups, and the like, the song dips into the aforementioned liminal space where Straus confesses “I got bigger dreams than being your baby.” Everything comes back here—to this letting go, to this intangible sound. This 40 second section is brief, but the way the song is contorted is so satisfying to listen to and reflects the content of the song brilliantly.
KP can always be counted on to say it like it is, and with “Cry Cry Cry,” and “RIP KP” they do just that. These tracks were the first two singles released for the album. “Cry Cry Cry” is a little bit petty, and a lot bit catchy. Plus, it’s carefree nature is especially attractive as KP always comes back to the flippant conclusion that they’ll “say, ‘whatever.’” Similarly, “RIP KP,” requires no sleuthing to understand what the song is trying to say—it’s a sensual, lustful track that acts as a spiritual successor to the ever-iconic “Hit the Back.”
“Winter is Hopeful?”
With Girl Violence, King Princess has further proven their credits as a storyteller and, as should be obvious, one hell of a musician. While winter will not be upon us for a while, so I can’t definitively say that “Winter is Hopeful,” this fall, Bostonian King Princess fans have something to look forward to. On November 2nd, King Princess will be hitting House of Blues, and she’s bringing SASAMI with her. The show is bound to be… I guess I should probably say it… “Fantastic.”
A deluxe version of the album in the near future wouldn’t hurt either. I’m “Watching My Phone.”
