Ever since getting my first taste of Syracuse’s explosive noise punk outfit, Perfect Pussy, during their show here in Savannah last January, I, much like others who caught their set, have been eagerly awaiting more from the five piece act.
With a sound most easily described as contemporary noise punk practices of bands like Future of the Left blended with the angst and aggression of riot grrrl movement icons from the late 80’s and mid-90’s like Heavens to Betsy and Fire Party, Perfect Pussy is a band that demands your attention from the very moment you look at their name — and doesn’t let go. Anyone who caught their set at Hang Fire can attest. It was loud. It was furious. And most importantly, it was a spectacle. From the moment that singer Meredith Graves started, she didn’t let up. The show wasn’t so much about listening to the music, as it was about experiencing the act of it being performed. Graves, who couldn’t stand taller than 5’6″, made up for her small stature with relentless energy that was echoed by her bandmates, turning Perfect Pussy’s set at Hang Fire that night into a cathartic explosion that rippled throughout the crowd.
Graves and the rest of Perfect Pussy weren’t just the spark that ignited the powderkeg that night. They were the spark, the gasoline poured over the powderkeg, and the dry lumber that was thrown in for good measure. The fact that they were able to translate this energy and fury into a record is a feat that isn’t easily overlooked.
NPR’s First Listen is currently offering up a streaming preview of Perfect Pussy’s debut album, Say Yes to Love, and I can’t recommend checking it out enough. The album is probably best described as a cathartic experience more than anything else, both for the band and the listener. Perfect Pussy managed to create an ebb and flow to the album that creates an air of anticipation at points while the listener waits for the white noise to give way to Graves’ thundering, high pitched vocals. There’s fury, there’s anger, there’s fear, there’s resent; all drowned beneath a synth harmonies that hit you simultaneously with a cacophony of wailing guitar effects that leave the listener a bit drained and even more at peace when it ends. “Say Yes to Love” isn’t an album that’s meant to be quietly reflected on while sitting in your room, it’s an anthem that begs to be blasted in your car when life’s got you down and you need to let it all out.