by Dominic Acito (@mycamgrlromance)
On July 1st, PUP, Lucy Dacus, and Sadie Dupuis of Speedy Ortiz, tweeted a Soundcloud link to a song attributed to a group called Occult Classic. It’s no wonder that among the live music starved fans in the midst of lockdown, speculation ran wild. Was it a super group? Was it a new band entirely? Who were they and what had they done that had earned the blessing of these already adored musicians? Whatever it was, it was clear that it was going to be a defining musical piece of the summer. With the very first lyric being “Let’s smash to a podcast”, how could it be anything other brilliant?
The Soundcloud link went dead shortly after but it was announced that it was none other than the newest release by Illuminati Hotties. I say release because this is a mixtape, complete with skits and lower case song titles. Even the name of the release, FREE I.H: This Is Not The One You’ve Been Waiting For, serves as a way to manage expectations and express that this is not the eagerly awaited second full length from Illuminati Hotties. Following issues with the record label Tiny Engines, this is a release that allows for Illuminati Hotties to get themselves out of their record contract. The mixtape fittingly features a cover with a mugshot of Sarah Tudzin, the mastermind behind Illuminati Hotties.
With the exception of the title and cover, there’s no strong indication that this is a record made to fulfill an obligation required to exit a record contract. This is a fun and energetic set of songs that contains a sense of levity throughout. Even when the subject matter is weighty, there is either a tenderness or momentum in the songs that makes it endlessly endearing. The lyrics contain a frankness and detail that adds a strong sense of personality and you feel almost as if you know Tudzin personally. Especially on the album’s heartwarming closing track, “reasons 2 live,” which delicately lists the names of friends with brief but touching anecdotes about their friendships. Tudzin’s personality shines through even on the less tender tracks like “content/bedtime,” which playfully pokes fun at the constant demand for social media content.
It’s difficult to believe that this set of songs was recorded in February of 2020. It’s a document of emotions and feelings set to boil over in the US during the time of COVID. This mixtape seems to express the thoughts of many Americans dealing with feelings of inadequacy in a country with an ever-widening income gap. The timely nature of the lyrics is most apparent on the track, “free dumb,” where Tudzin asks “While the world burns, how could you care about a fucking record?” and calls herself “non-essential,” written shortly before the term had gained the significance it has now.
With catchy hooks and songs with incredible guitar work, Illuminati Hotties captures more in this twenty-three-minute mixtape than most groups can hope to capture in their entire careers. It seems that Tudzin provides a satisfying answer to her own question, because while the world burns, many people will find joy and comfort in genuine releases like this one. If Nero busted out the fiddle and belted “frequent letdown” while Rome burned, then maybe he would have been remembered more fondly.