In 2010, it was Wavves. In 2012, it was Japandroids. Now, the vaginal Syracuse outfit Perfect Pussy is Pitchfork.com's newest punk band crush. Yes, this is the same popular indie music site whose 2013 Reader’s Poll allowed Kanye West’s Yeezus to be the Most Underrated and Most Overrated Album Of The Year, and yes, these are also the writers who gave Andrew W.K.’s I Get Wet both a 0.6/10 and an 8.6/10, but when it comes to discovering fabulous new bands, like Perfect Pussy, Pitchfork knows what’s up.
Say Yes To Love (from Captured Tracks Records) is Perfect Pussy’s debut “full-length” (the release contains eight songs, but plays for only 23 minutes). It’s hip garage punk sauced with over-the-top distortion, but sprinkled with a hint of dreaminess.
“Driver," Say Yes To Love’s beastly lead single, opens the eight-songer. The call to all moshers “Bells” follows; it has great hardcore punk dynamic, shifting from rapid-fast beats to a spectacular breakdown. “Interference Fits” begins with a pretty, Dads-like guitar riff, elevating to lo-fi paradise with a tornado of screeched vocals from aggressive frontwoman Meredith Graves.
Perfect Pussy’s auditory triathlon cools down with the five-minute long “Advance Upon The Real”; the first minute and a half is actual music, but the rest of the song is silent. After that, the obscure feedback-track “VII” closes the release.
Although it slays, Say Yes To Love’s deafening production is really annoying. If the album ran slightly past the 25-minute mark, it would’ve been unbearable; ending at 23 minutes was a better choice.
I enjoy Perfect Pussy (hey, we’re still talking about the band), but instead of casually listening to their ear-bleeding debut LP, I’d rather hear them live, for two logical reasons: 1) they're amazing onstage and 2) who wouldn't want to see a bunch of Pitchfork-addicted Jason Schwartzmans fail at slam-dancing?