Review Summary: They told us we were girls
LGBT pride is a tricky thing even in a community as tolerant of diversity as punk rock. With so many misogynistic and occasionally outright homophobic bands in today's macho-madness hardcore scene, things can sometimes get a little dicey. This is compounded exponentially by the general public's oft-maligned perception of the DIY ethos and spirit of punk. Like a deified diva phoenix rising out of 21st century transgender rights headlines is Girls Living Outside Society's Shit. This Olympia-based hardcore band is comprised of four
thoroughly pissed queer folks, and they are here to oil the gears in your head in the name of equality.
With no attempt at clouding the narrative G.L.O.S.S. goes straight for the throat at the would-be bullies and sexist jerkoffs of the world, pulling no punches whatsoever lyrically. Choice examples of how not-fucking-around these gals are being lines like "You follow me around/Catcall from behind, see my face and cut me down/'tranny’/’shemale’/’faggot’/’whore’/But I'm a flawless bitch and you're a fucking bore," and the baleful screams of "The freaks are coming/Take over" during a self-referential moment. The musicianship is pretty simply structured, but these songs blaze by with plenty of impacting rage. There's buzzsaw guitars, frenzied drums, and lashing breakdowns galore across this demo's 10ish minute run time.
Fans of socially conscious punk and hardcore would do well to pick this up on cassette, or make a donation via the band's pay-as-you-want download on Bandcamp. It's sure to mean a whole lot to a young band striving to strike the spark of actual change in the world. When was the last time you bought a release that actually made a difference? It's more than music. Do your part.