by Jare C (@jareccurtis)
The east coast has always been fertile ground for grassroots punk and alt rock. Over the past twenty years, there have been countless bands in the New Jersey scene that have taken the atmosphere of the place they are from, and pulled on that energy and identity to create punk that is simultaneously as visceral as it is creative and catchy. Across that playing field, Screaming Females, is arguably one of the most supreme examples.
On the three-piece’s latest record, Desire Pathway, Screaming Females pull absolutely no punches in their riffy, hard hitting approach to songwriting, with Marissa Paternoster's enigmatic, distinctly dense vocal performance taking center stage. From the very beginning of the record’s opening, the single “Brass Bell” holds onto their powerfully driven brand of rock writing, while breaching a level of accessibility that is a relatively new approach for the band. Their songwriting has always been catchy, but with this record, they’ve found a compromise between atmospheric and lyrically dense storytelling and head-nodding song structure. The production as well, has less emphasis than an album like 2018’s All at Once did, but this change, surprisingly, does not play to the record’s detriment, but rather to its advantage. Tracks like “Desert Train,” “Let You Go,” and “Mourning Dove” have instrumental setups that are powerful and compelling, allowing Paternoster to create a direct line between her vocals and the listener, while the drums, guitar, and bass support the mood incredibly well. The pockets of each of these songs are remarkably full, and the band is able to twist between classic guitar solo moments to crunchy breakdowns with relative ease, all while delivering messaging that feels something close to reading someone’s diary.
While Desire Pathway might feel like a departure to some fans of the band, it is plainly clear that Screaming Females had a clear goal in the writing of this record. They set out to tell stories of heartbreak, love, and desire that explore the twisting, interlocking, and confusing emotions that lie within each. In doing this, they’ve managed to forge an album that is accessible to an unfamiliar listener, while still staying true to the core of their approach, and reaching new creative ground for the band that remains enjoyable and interesting. This is a feat that many artists seek to achieve, and yet alludes so many, and yet, Desire Pathway does this with stunning success.