On their debut full-length record, Brighton-based Punk duo Lambrini Girls have offered the perfect soundtrack for when you’re wondering how the hell a rapist was elected to lead our country. Who Let The Dogs Out (City Slang) is undoubtedly a boisterous, cathartic, high-octane album featuring ten fiery and relentless tracks that offer commentary on a wide variety of social issues besides the political state of the world. Earning a ton of recognition from the press well before the debut album came out, Lambrini Girls just might be the figures we need to musically spearhead the new era our world now finds itself in.
Consisting of singer and guitarist Phoebe Lunny and bassist Lilly Maciera, Lambrini Girls scream through several topical concerns in our society; everything from misogyny, toxic masculinity, police brutality and capitalism. Additionally, the record also offers a more personalized note as it explores themes such as love, relationships and internalized homophobia. Who Let The Dogs Out is a loud, dynamic and fast-paced record and one that will be stuck in your head long after “Cuntology 101” is done blaring through your speakers.
The top half of the album is as brutal as punk gets, opening with the track “Bad Apple.” A two-and-a-half-minute rager about the abuse, sexual harassment and racial profiling that come from the police, “Bad Apple” is a definitive opening number from Lambrini Girls, setting up the rest of the album as a wild ride that is as educational as it is unrelenting.
Misogyny, toxic masculinity, and the patriarchy are highly prominent themes on the record, as songs like “Company Culture” and “Big Dick Energy” discuss – with both anger and humor – the many ways in which women are harassed by men in all aspects of their lives. Whether they are at work, walking home from work, or not even thinking about work, women must constantly be on the defense. However, Lambrini Girls, through their guttural bass riffs and ferocious vocals, offer a chance for women to find catharsis in their anger, as the all-too-relatable lyrics allow any woman who has gone through something similar to feel seen.
Towards the middle of the album, the tone begins to make a shift from discussing problems with our society to problems we find within ourselves – but we aren’t completely switched over to that angle yet. “No Homo,” a Blondie-esque track that toys around with the ridiculousness of the phrase “no homo” and how this correlates with internalized homophobia, doesn’t arrive too long before “You’re Not From Around Here,” a startling yet realistic explanation of how gentrification destroys marginalized communities. As they pack in so much commentary on the world around us in only 10 tracks, Who Let The Dogs Out is a wake-up call for just how much is wrong. However, through a tongue-in-cheek delivery and quick-witted lyricism, the album does leave listeners with a sense of optimism and hope.
After serving a poetic delivery on the harm of nepo babies acting as posers in the entertainment industry (“Filthy Rich Nepo Baby”) and just how capitalism exploits people (“Scarcity Is Fake (communist propaganda),” Lambrini Girls offer a more self-reflective tone in the album’s latter half. On “Special Different,” the duo offers insight into how terms like “different” or “special needs” can be damaging to those with autism. A standout track on the album for its audacity to comment on something not often discussed in such a straightforward manner in popular music, “Special Different” is the ultimate track when it comes to Lambrini Girls and just how fearless they are in their defiance and artistry.
The following track, “Love,” was the final single to be released ahead of the album. The song gets right to the heart of the message as it opens with the line, “True love is nothing more than the wrong hill to die on.” Ultimately, Lunny is telling listeners that love is only what we think it’s supposed to be like, and thus we are always approaching it wrong. Worshipping, co-dependency, and losing our sense of self is a deadly combination that equates to love, and when we are damaged we don’t know how to love correctly despite trying our best. Or, rather, some people are just ensuring we will always feel that way.
The album closes with “Cuntology 101,” undoubtedly a Punk song but incredibly fueled by pop and techno influences. Driving full-speed ahead with the cheeky lyrics, the song’s ultimate message – and perhaps the biggest theme on the album – is that the greatest thing you can do is love yourself and allow yourself to feel. But, like any other song on this record, so much more can be interpreted beyond just what words are saying. In very few words, “Cuntology 101” also encourages listeners to do a variety of other things: steal from chain stores, sleep with whoever you want, have a meltdown if you need to, but also make sure to go to therapy, and allow yourself to be human.
As well as a diverse body of themes that are found within the album, Who Let The Dogs Out also showcases just how musically talented Lambrini Girls are. Each track stands out with its own unique sound, message and personality, resulting in a multi-layered album. With each listen, there is more to be discovered. “No Homo” and “Nothing Tastes As Good As It Feels,” the latter providing insight into how we will never be satisfied with ourselves, both convey a retro, post-punk sonic expression. Think Blondie meets Sex Pistols.
With a consistently buzzy yet crystal-clear bass sound throughout the record, the overall production of Who Let The Dogs Out cannot go without extensive praise. “Filthy Rich Nepo Baby,” “Special Different” and “Bad Apple” all contain intros on guitar and/or bass that immediately grab you by the throat, cementing these tracks as definite repeats.
Through their feral femininity, brutal advocacy, and fearlessness for addressing what needs to be addressed, Lambrini Girls are punk rock’s latest and bravest heroes. The fact that so much praise is to be found within their debut full-length album only reassures us that the band is just getting started, and listeners will be overjoyed to know there is a lot more where that came from. Any listener can find a song that personally resonates with them, and Lambrini Girls’ musicality not only heals listeners but also gives them the passion and drive to take their anger and use it for good.
Buy the album here:
https://lambrinigirlsband.bandcamp.com/album/who-let-the-dogs-out
9 / 10
JUSTICE PETERSEN
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