Girl at the Rock Shows

There were a couple of shows I had my eye on for tonight, but ultimately, I needed a night off. That’s not usually how I am, but after a weekend with family in town and multiple concerts, I just needed a night in to get caught up on things, clean the house, and just chill. Now that it’s the time that I typically leave the house for a show, I’m feeling a bit restless and guilty like I should have just sucked it up and picked a show but, instead, I’m going to try and use this energy to get caught up on album reviews and checking out new music like ‘Sad Blue Planet,’ the latest release from Knifethroat.

‘Sad Blue Planet’ opens up with the gritty pop-punk perfection that is “Dawn of a New Age.” This song doesn’t waste time laying out the sound that is Knifethroat. It’s definitely got its roots in the pop-punk scene, but there’s this little edge to the track that leans it more into the punk side of things. I instantly fell in love with the grit that comes through in the vocals, which reminded me a bit of the current Minneapolis punk scene and bands like Loss Leader and Banner Pilot. Instrumentally, this song feels slightly hollow but not in a bad way. I feel like the subtle hollowness of the instrumentation really allows the vocals to drive this song forward and really let you get a taste of the grit that is Knifethroat.

I know we are only on the second song of this album, but I wasn’t expecting the more acoustic feel that came with “Twin Rivers.” Compared to “Dawn of a New Age,” this song feels a bit somber and slower, but it still has Knifethroat’s twist on a punk-leaning pop-punk sound. I instantly fell in love with the way the vocals went from gritty and angsty to something much more tender and heartfelt. That’s not to say there isn’t heart in the first song; there is, but you just hear it a bit clearer in “Twin Rivers,” and it helps paint a full picture of just who Knifethroat is.

I instantly felt attached to “Marriage License.” “Let’s grow old and never get married.” Those may sound like super depressing lyrics to some, but for me, it’s kind of like music to my ears. I’ve been with the same guy for years and, although we joke about getting married, ultimately, I don’t care. I’m happy being with him and don’t need a piece of paper to tell me that I’m happy and that we’re together. There are some times when I think I’m the only one on the planet with this mind frame, especially after a weekend spent with my family celebrating my baby niece with my brother and his amazing wife, so this song hit me especially hard. I needed to stop feeling so alone in being happy just with how things are in my relationship, and Knifehtroat gave me that with this track.

Speaking of feeling alone, “Decatur”, the fourth song on this album, seems to address that issue. It’s about being surrounded by people but feeling so alone. It’s a feeling we all get to feel from time to time, but seem to hide it. Why hide it? I love that, again, Knifethroat puts words and music to some of my deepest and darkest thoughts with this song. Add in the emo-leaning vocals that still have that signature Knifethroat hint of grit, and you are left with a flawless track that will surely hit you right in the gut with emotion.

Honestly, I started to feel personally attacked by this album by the time I got to the fifth song. Again, the lyrics of “Early Evening Naps” instantly tugged at my heartstrings. This is a song about needing space and time. Kind of fitting given how I’m spending my Monday evening, huh? What I most like about this song is the dynamics. It’s a true roller coaster ride of emotions. There are moments of intensity and slight rage, followed by something a bit more daydream-like and soft. It reminds me of some of the great emo bands of the early 2000s, like Straylight Run, but ultimately, the sound of this song can only be described as Knifethroat.

I don’t want to say that “Timeshares” is less serious than “Early Evening Naps,” but the album seems to take a shift with this sixth song. It’s just a bit more danceable, infectious, and fun. Don’t get me wrong, the lyrics are still full of heart, emotion, and raw vulnerability, but I like the way the band takes that and shows you a different way to interpret it all. It was during this song that I started to crave a chance to see Knifethroat live. There’s just something about this song that screams needing to see and hear it live. I’m not sure when that chance will come to me, but I know that listening to this song on repeat will surely take me to their show, if only in my mind.

“Love Songs to the Early Shift” is the perfect song title for the seventh song because this song instantly feels like a love song. It’s not a classic love song but a love song in the style of Knifethroat. I listened to this song no less than six times before I was able to move on, and truthfully, I still don’t have the right words to describe it. Have you ever heard of the band The Forecast? I know that’s a deep cut from years gone by (although they are back and have a great new EP out there), that’s what this song reminds me of, and much like when I listen to The Forecast, my brain kind of shut off as I listened to this song over and over again. That’s not a bad thing (although I know it sounds like it may be), but more a sign of just how easily and quickly this track stole my heart.

Honestly, I haven’t put much thought into what someone should do if I die. Knifethroat has, and they have laid it all out in “Specific Instructions on What to do When I Die.” Honestly, this is kind of a morbid song, but it’s also a fun one with the way that this band adds a super infectious beat and their classic, gritty pop-punk sound to the message. Honestly, they’re right, “Death will come for everyone,” and that can be a scary thought, but not if you’re using this song to guide you.

Closing out ‘Sad Blue Planet’ is “This Busted Treadmill Called Life.” Although this song starts off with a very acoustic kind of feeling to it, it doesn’t stay that way. This song acts as a triumphant ending to this amazing album. It has pessimism behind the lyrics, much like many of the other tracks on this album, but it’s a brand of pessimism that I think we can all relate to. Although this song ends the journey of this album, it surely will not end your journey with this band. This is the kind of album that I highly suggest you listen to on repeat for a while so you can really catch all of the beautiful intricacies and heartfelt words throughout it.

TL; DR – I felt personally attacked by the majority of this album, and I loved it. Knifethroat made me feel not just seen, but understood and supported by not holding back on their raw and emotional lyrics. This album is about life and just trying to get through it while staying sane, so if you’re a twenty or thirty-something like me who struggles with mental health and often turns to music to find a sense of solace in all of the madness, I highly suggest you check this out. Knifethroat reminds you that you aren’t alone, and they do it with their gritty pop-punk sound that is truly irresistible.

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