Cliterati have long been one of my favorite West coast punk bands. Their mix of genres and sneering attach is fun to listen too, coming up in a scene of hard hitting bands that Tankcrimes seems to crank out with glee. Their latest offering, Ugly Truths/Beautiful Lies is fifteen tracks of fun and over the top political punk fury. With anthemic choruses, ('Unfuck The System' is a particular standout) and direct callouts of entites like FOX News, it's hard not to have any sort of appreciation for punk rock and not be at least a little bit enamored with what Cliterati are doing here.
There is a sort of crazed desperation here that comes from being marginalized in an increasingly oppressive society. Cliterati are looking at the problems facing America today not as ivory tower liberal observers but as people who have to wade through the shitstorm that is this country every single day. It's rare that you find a band who can communicate nuanced political opinions without being art rock nerds, but Cliterati manage to find a balance and continually impress. This is straight up some of the best written punk rock that I have heard come out of the US scene in years and that serves to make Ugly Truths/Beautiful Lies all the more addictive.
Punk rock needs fury to keep it alive. Cliterati have that fury. There is a rage here, a tormented hate that seems to drive every single thing that they do. In an era where punk rock has frequently lost its edge or has simply spent too much time in art school its refreshing to find a group who emphasize black and white art alongside DIY ethics. While in some ways Ugly Truths/Beautiful Lies could be seen as belonging to a bygone era of punk their message is distinctly 2019 and should certainly not be ignored.
Find them on Facebook!
https://www.facebook.com/slimepriestess/
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