TAKE BACK THURSDAY - MANNEQUIN pussy’s “romantic”
Mannequin Pussy’s 2016 album Romantic is a powerful ride through emotions. This was only their second release–out of just three albums so far. The Philadelphia punk band reaches in all different directions with their sound to culminate these 11 tracks.
Without each song sounding too alike, the band establishes a certain cohesive sound throughout that carries you from one track to the next in a head-banging flurry. In true punk fashion, many of the songs are short (all of them falling under 3 minutes and most under 2), making the album easily digestible in one sitting at a stout 17 minutes.
The most popular track from the album happens to be the title track of “Romantic”. Being the longest song featured, this isn’t surprising, but to me it’s also deserved. “Romantic” was ranked 14th on Rolling Stones’ 50 best songs of 2016. The song features beautiful lyrics such as “You would sleep with me/ If you could do it comfortably”, but the most powerful part of the song is the simple “And I...” during the chorus. Especially during the second round of its repetition, the chorus is extended in its instrumental and without any words necessary makes you feel the pain that’s being discussed in the song.
“Emotional High” is another one of my favorites from the album. This is a simple song about pining, and one that makes you want to jump around with it on full blast. The vocals on this one are noticeably clearer than some of the other tracks that feature a more muddy and distorted version of the singer’s voice. “Denial” coming in two tracks later feels to me like the second part to “Emotional High”. The vocals have the same clarity and the beat makes you want to move the same as the latter. When I listen to these back to back I feel that “Denial” is the singer’s account of the issues they face within relationships relating to their mental health. Things get much more complicated in this song and you see in real time the progression between the before and during in romantics.
If you’re wondering where the powerful part I mentioned comes in, “Pledge” is what comes to mind. The vocals scream in layers: “I pledge allegiance to myself and nothing else”. The song is almost creepy in the way that it flips in tone, pulling you from the aggression contained in the chorus to the lulling “ooh” of the verses. The song is an anthem about not conforming to what’s expected of you–especially in the case of women. “No matter what you do/ They’re watching you/ and listening too” perfectly encapsulates the scrutiny women face and the eagle eye that patrols them harder than any man. In the same vein, “Anything” is Mannequin Pussy’s declaration of their place in the music scene. “Don’t you dare lie or mistreat me/ I want this more than anything, I want this more than you” reads to me as a response to comments from other bands that try to bring fellow musicians down. This is their fuck-you to critics that refuse to take them seriously.
The last song, “Beside Yourself”, is the perfect end to the album. It is the track that strays the most from the rest of the album, beginning with choral-like a capella vocals before adding Mannequin Pussy’s signature punk instrumentals behind it. The closing is as powerful as the
opening but in a different and more understated way. In the opening track of “Kiss”, you find this aggressive and painful song about personal struggles with self-image and loneliness which juxtaposes this softer end-track about letting go of your past, seemingly with someone by your side this time. The album comes wonderfully full circle here with a satisfying finish.
This album had my jaw positioned on the floor through its entirety. If nothing else, the album is a vulnerable and honest recollection of insecurity, love, and hardship. Mannequin Pussy brings something special to the table, especially with Romantic. This band is one that is obviously full of artists who are serious about what they do and want to say, and that is something truly special.