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Review: 'Soap Girls, The'
'In My Skin'   

-  Label: 'Soap Girls Records'
-  Genre: 'Punk/New Wave' -  Release Date: '18.6.22.'

Our Rating:
In My Skin is the fourth album by South African musical provocateurs The Soap Girls who as ever are fighting to make the world a better less prejudiced place, as ever hearing the band without the visuals of a live show or video allows the music to rise up and the lyrics to make the points intended which adds to the live spectacle. The Soap Girls were born in France but the sisters Noemie (Mie) and Camille (Mille) Debray grew up in South Africa where they became street musicians at the age of 8 and 9 while selling handmade soaps for charity and becoming The Soap Girls.

The album opens with recent single Breathe that takes a Ramones/Runaways style beat and adds almost Clair Grogan style new wave vocals on a driving pop song about the need to Breathe and not be overwhelmed by life in general as the guitars drive it all along and the almost girl group vocals work a treat this is very catchy indeed.

Liar asks all sorts of questions as to when and where it is acceptable to Lie, and as we currently live in a world full of Lies, this is a rather pertinent song, as they admit to being Liars, aren't we all, the song revolves around a good crunchy bass line that's decorated by the guitar and drums and what sound like some shaken bells.

Demons has some cool treated (Not autotuned) vocals with a grungy undertow that reminds me of Little Hell as they take aim at all sort of Demons that have been bothering them while the drums anchor the tune down nicely.

Wasted starts slowly as a kiss off for some ex they are addicted too, as the middle part explodes in acrimony and an admission that they are just Wasted, the song uses the loud quiet dynamics to full effect. In My Skin has a Skunk Ananasie feel to it as it builds into a monumental anthem of hope that we can all feel comfortable in our own skin.

Break Down neatly sums up how many people have felt the last couple of years as everything gets on top of them and they have that Break down, they are fighting against it and trying to feel normal, as this builds the guitar soars, and they sound like they have done all the screaming into the void they need to for a while.

Medicated Bubble Bath is an angry rant against the stupidity of the statements of senior politicians especially Trump although he's not named, this is properly anthemic rock with a proper punch the air chorus and it's also a very Joan Jett sounding song.

Heart In Bloom has some very Simple Minds style guitar over a chugging beat that drives this song of lust and desire along.

She Don't Wanna has classic grll group vocals and could be someone like The Vivian Girls or Shampoo as this pop song makes sure, you should always have the right to say no and for no too mean no, when you ask her to dance, while you dance like crazy to that guitar line yes this is a perfect dance pop song about not wanting to dance with you.

Broken Melody adds breathy vocals to a reworked Killing Joke bass riff, shards of guitar as they lay it on you and find out just how broken that melody is. This also has a part where the vocals go all Cradle Of Filth screamo to ram the point home.

Summer Rain starts off slow as the clouds come over and then it explodes like a tropical storm unloading with full force, the rain abates, as everything dries out, you feel totally numb at the emptiness you see around you, before that storm comes back and rages once more.

Psycho opens as a chugger and then opens out as you go Psycho, or live in fear that you will be Just a Psycho, well as I was once voted kid most likely to end up in a mental hospital, I love this song, we all have our moments of madness and who knows what might actually push us over that edge, this is a real anthem for kids on the edge everywhere with a great screamo bit.

Promise You all sorts of everything, but will you be receptive or not, as they tell you they'll die for you over a Breeders style indie rock anthem.

The album closes with Kill Breed that has a militant violent action shoot 'em up computer game feel to it's take on the madness of the Kill Breed, it's heavy and full of despair at the ongoing slaughter even though nothing is real.

Find out more at https://thesoapgirls.com/ https://thesoapgirls.shop/collections/official-recording/products/in-my-skin https://www.facebook.com/thesoapgirls


  author: simonovitch

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