The Anti-Queens - ‘Disenchanted’ review
The Anti-Queens by Michael X Crusty
Four years after their last album release, The Anti-Queens have returned with their latest LP Disenchanted to reclaim their seat at the pop-punk table.
The Anti-Queens open their LP with the lively ‘Apocalypse She’, staying true to their energetic reputation. Listeners are presented with feminine strength and passion that endures even in such a male-dominated field as the music industry; “wiping out bigotry for future generations”. Emily Bones’ vocals hold both a quality of female beauty and a gravelly depth, the result demands attention and proves that a feminine touch can be a great benefit to the pop-punk sound.
‘Bulldozer’ is an all-round solid track with an opening slide that immediately pricks your ears up. There is a lot to be said for Zoe McMillan’s vibrant drumming, it’s the source of the track’s momentum and responsible for filling out the sound with the constant, but not overbearing, use of cymbals.
The enchanting subversion of a 90s love song that is ‘Love’s Heavy Burden’, opens like a ‘Letters for Cleo’ parody before descending into the pop-punk listeners came for. Bones’ slower, more melodic singing style is refreshing and essential as it injects variety into the LP. The softer bridges fade into bouncing choruses in a clean, effortless way that is not only satisfying but also gives the track its replay value.
Valerie Knox takes her moment in the spotlight in ‘Saviour’; this is the main track in which she demonstrates her flair. The opening riffs are funky, and hard-hitting, and her solos are well-suited to the emotion of the track. Yet, it feels as if there is too much focus on playing well and, as such, there is a lack of the musical courage and individuality that is so crucial to creating an outstanding punk track. Nevertheless, the isolated marching style beats are an excellent choice for ‘Saviour’ to imbue the track with a militant quality reminiscent of a soldier, a ‘saviour’. The Anti-Queens expose the ugly truth of ‘saviourism’ that hides behind a façade of ‘good intentions’: ‘saving’ minority or disadvantaged groups is patronising in nature and, in practice, so often undermines the voices and actions of those being “helped” by speaking for or over them. ‘Saviour’ makes it very clear that The Anti-Queens do not need saving.
‘Doomed Again’ and ‘Disenchanted’ explore the feeling of frustration - at life, at society, at yourself - and the need for resilience in trying times. Unfortunately, the tracks risk blending into each other, without enough variety to really distinguish between the two.
But, just in time, The Anti-Queens narrowly avoid this pitfall by throwing ‘Crusade’ at their listeners. The drumming exudes energy and the guitar has moments of real electricity, but most significantly, Bones gets to showcase the other end of her range: her fry scream and hard vocals. She pulls it off effectively, it doesn’t seem out of place or ‘too much’ but instead adds a sense of irritation and hopelessness, and, as a bonus, reinforces that women, too, can do it all. Once again, you find yourself wishing the track had been mixed differently and her powerful vocals were allowed to shine.
‘Say What You Want’ features crashing drums and a bolder guitar which expand on the album’s exploration of frustration. The group vocals in ‘Owe U Shit’ cleverly convey a sense of community founded in that frustration with the mainstream, united in their alternative individuality.
The perfect score for a breakup scene or the introduction to the ‘bad girl’ character in an old school chick flick is, clearly, ‘Overthinking’. The sound is clean without being over-rehearsed and captures being trapped in a mental loop of your own creation. The music video is well crafted: the opposing sets of a summery meadow and a harshly lit interior aptly display the song’s emotional depth - ranging from the happiness of a summer’s day to the stripped reality of a starkly lit studio - encompassing the turbulence of human emotion.
With ‘Freeloading’ and ‘Magnolia’, you’re hoping to end on a high and while there is nothing blatantly wrong or out of place, you’re left with a slight desire for something more, feeling vaguely unsatisfied, as if you were waiting for a final crescendo or a big bang to wrap everything up. Despite this, ‘Magnolia’ still boasts a varied tempo and regular switch-ups on vocals that make the track interesting and engaging. The LP closes with cohesion, beautiful harmonies, and technically skilled playing.
Disenchanted is overall an important LP in the feminist messages it portrays and the feelings of frustration and disappointment it represents for its listeners. As a talented musician, it would be interesting to see how Knox continues to grow and take more risks in future releases, her guitar playing is skilful and as such she is in the perfect place to be courageous with her music. Hopefully, we will hear more of Bones’ range, too, now that she has hinted at her ability as she switches from melodic love song to fry screaming to pop-punk vocals throughout the LP.
Disenchanted from The Anti-Queens is out now via Stomp Records and available on all good streaming platforms.
