Album Review: Kamikaze Girls – Seafoam

Leeds based duo Kamikaze Girls released their debut album, Seafoam, a few days ago on June 9th, the album, which follows on from last years critically acclaimed Sad EP, has been issued via Big Scary Monsters Records in Europe and Wiretap Records in North America. The album marks a shift away from the Sad EP, whilst Seafoam maintains their commitment to political and social change, it demonstrates a broader range of musical influences and styles that doesn’t diminish the impact of their brutally honest and personal lyrics, rather it makes the new album feel somehow more focused and accessible, and this is important for a band whose message is one that I think needs be heard.

Seafoam kicks off with the dark and haunting One Young Man that segues into the intense Berlin, this was the lead single from the album and you can see why it was chosen as the track to grab your attention. There seems to be a more confrontational attitude to the songs, a change that is exemplified on the intense KG Goes To The Pub, a track that challenges attitudes and stereotypes with an enviable level of venom and fury, but this is counterbalanced by tracks that display a greater level of subtlety and harmony. Tracks like the superb Unhealthy Love channel northern post punk influences whilst still lyrically packing as much of a punch, I Don’t Want To Be Sad Forever comes across as a manifesto for much needed change before the bonus track, Anxious, lays bare the realities of managing mental health issues.

From the start it’s clear that a lot has changed since the release of their Sad EP last year, Kamikaze Girls sound like a band whose confidence has grown and their mix of punk, riot grrrl, shoegaze and post punk gives them a unique place in the British punk scene. Whilst the Sad EP sounded like an act of catharthis, Seafoam in comparison comes across as coming from a more hopeful place, issues are still confronted, a change of perspective doesn’t mean that Kamikaze Girls have in anyway abandoned their principles or the attitude that lies at the heart of the band, this just sounds like they have come to terms with the past and are now focused on confronting the future head on.

You can order the digital release of Seafoam here and physical formats can be purchased here (EU) and here (US)