Sløtface breaks down its rousing new EP, streaming exclusively at The A.V. Club
There’s an undeniably youthful quality to much of the best power pop. The exuberance, the rough-hewn and scrappy nature of the upbeat melodies and sing-along choruses: It all testifies to something vibrant and young—or emotionally young, anyway. And when you hear bands that manage to capture that ineffable, lightning-in-a-bottle quality of raw but joyous rock excitement, it brings you right back to that feeling that comes from discovering music that hits you in just the right way.
Sløtface, the Norwegian four-piece, doesn’t even have a debut album out yet, but that energy is present in its music, a celebration of ‘90s indie-rock adrenaline. Singer Haley Shea delivers everything from sharp emotional lyrics to cheerful pop culture name-checks, her effervescent vocals a smart match to the fuzzed-out guitars. So when we heard the band’s new EP, Empire Records—streaming today exclusively on The A.V. Club—we asked them to tell us a little bit about each of the songs. (You can purchase the EP, out today, from Propeller Recordings.)
“Take Me Dancing”
We had some extra time in the studio we were renting and decided to re-record an old song. Originally, we met some skepticism regarding the lyrical content due to it not being “directly feminist enough,” but for us feminism is all about the right to be yourself, even if that involves drinking and dancing and having a good time. We really try to stay away from that idea of “bad feminism.” This song is about giving yourself a Saturday night off and was actually written as a response from the girl we believe Big Star are singing to in the song “13.”