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- April 27, 2022
The Linda Lindas Prove That the Future of Punk Is Alive And Female With Their Debut Album, Growing Up!
The Linda Lindas are the new alt/new wave/new noise/punk band taking the world by storm. After listening to their highly anticipated debut album, Growing Up, it’s not difficult to see why. Sisters, cousins, and chosen family, Mila de la Garza (drums), Lucia de la Garza (guitar), Eloise Wong (bass), and Bela Salazar (guitar) are taking over the airwaves one song at a time with their new and refreshing take on a classic 90s sound.
The members first worked together when they were selected by Kristin Control of Dum Dum Girls for Girlschool LA in 2018. Shortly after, the girls decided to form their own band. After deciding against some questionable names like Cat Food For Grandma and The Cactus People, the band decided they’d need to seek influence elsewhere. Inspired by a cover of “Linda Linda” which appears in the Japanese indie film, Linda, Linda, Linda (directed by Nobuhiro Yamashita and released in 2005), The Linda Lindas were born.
While you may not know the name The Linda Lindas yet (which you should, let’s be honest), you may recognize the viral video of them performing their hit song “Racist, Sexist Boy” at the Los Angeles Public Library. In May of 2021, this video had the internet in a chokehold amassing millions of views on a myriad of platforms.
Fans were impatiently waiting for the release of new music, so when The Linda Lindas announced their debut album with a music video directed by Humberto Leon, finally the fans’ pleas for new music were answered. Growing Up features an eclectic array of new alt sound and features every band member on lead vocals which offers a unique and authentic auditory experience.
Growing Up opens with explosive anthem, “Oh!” A testament to the feeling of being powerless to create change, The Linda Lindas’ “Oh!” serves as a call to action to rise up against the oppressor.
Oh, when I say something
I wish I had shut up (oh!)
And when I try to help
I always screw things up (oh!)
“Oh!” The Linda Lindas
They pose the questions, “What can I do? What can I say?” when in the end “nothing changes it’s all the same.” “Oh!” is the perfect balance of angst and aggression resulting in an uplifting and culturally relevant piece of activism.
“Growing Up,” the song initially used to drum up interest in the album by the same name, is the kind of song that you blast from the speakers while dancing with your closest friends. “Growing Up” serves as the album’s central theme: “We don’t know where we will go. We don’t know, so there’s still a little more to growing up.”
Another highlight in this album (without a single bad song) is “Cuántos Veces.” The only song on the album to be performed in Spanish, “Cuántos Veces” wonders how many times we’ll be made to feel like who we are is not enough. The self-reflective piece with additional percussive accompaniment recognizes that it’s impossible to be liked by every person that you meet and finally comes to the conclusion that everyone is perfect in their own way.
“Magic” is another piece that makes a point to separate itself from the rest of the album. In its chorus, “Magic” urges listeners to question “What if magic was real? What if magic revealed something nobody would ever wish upon themselves or anybody else?” In this song The Linda Lindas imagine a world where it’s possible to read the mind of the object of one’s affection. It might seem like a no brainer. Why wouldn’t you want to read a crush’s mind? You could make sure that you always knew the right thing to say, but at the same time, what if the reality of their thoughts was something that would hurt you? As the lyrics put it, “maybe reality is better.”
To close out the album The Linda Lindas come full circle to where it all started with “Racist, Sexist Boy.” Written about an experience with a racist classmate who made known his weariness towards Asian Americans, “Racist, Sexist Boy” expresses the hurt and disgust of that initial encounter. With lyrics directly calling out an existing epidemic, it is easy to see how “Racist, Sexist Boy” found its success at the forefront of a movement.
The Linda Lindas are currently on an almost entirely sold out tour, but there are still a few shows where you might be able to catch them live. With the band still being so new, there is so much more to come from these talented musicians. It’s been said a thousand times, but if this album is any indication of what’s to come, the future looks pretty bright. It’s safe to say that the future of punk music is in safe hands with The Linda Lindas.
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TOUR DATES:
Apr 10 – Los Angeles, CA – The Troubadour – SOLD OUT
Apr 27 – New York, NY – Irving Plaza # – SOLD OUT
Apr 28 – New York, NY – Irving Plaza # – SOLD OUT
Apr 29 – New York, NY – Irving Plaza # – SOLD OUT
Apr 30 – New York, NY – Irving Plaza # – SOLD OUT
May 1 – New York, NY – Mercury Lounge – SOLD OUT
July 2 – Oakland, CA – Mosswood Meltdown
Aug 20 – Tokyo, JP – Summer Sonic
Aug 21 – Osaka, JP – Summer Sonic
Oct 22, 23 & 29 – Las Vegas, NV – When We Were Young Festival
# w/ Jawbreaker
