Album Review: Laura Jane Grace & The Devouring Mothers – 'Bought to Rot'

Laura Jane Grace & The Devouring Mothers bring cathartic hatred for the outsiders in their debut album, ‘Bought to Rot’.

Laura Jane Grace & The Devouring Mothers deliver 14 songs of anger in such a catchy pop way that Bought to Rot stands as a record of hope. Each song packs a punch, from the vicious opening ‘China Beach’, that has a hint of Jack White and Dave Grohl on vocals; to the final song ‘The Apology Song’. As you can probably tell, the album closer is a track on self-reflection. And this is what the album appears to be about – bettering yourself and giving a big ‘fuck you’ to the haters. So, in some respects, it is like Social Distortion in its statement.

For instance, there are nice love songs, such as ‘Born in Black’ and ‘The Airplane Song’ that are both fun and energetic. On the other hand, ‘I Hate Chicago’ is a song of hate, a song for the shithole town you despise (‘It feels like another dog shit day in Suck City’). But it’s catchy, fun and melodic. ‘Reality Bites’ has a lot of grit due to the great crunchy guitars and memorable hooks. ‘Valeria Golina’ is the most fierce track as it’s aggressive from the start. However, the standout track has to be ‘Amsterdam Hotel Room’, as it is built around interesting guitar riffs. It’s one of the most punk pieces on the record and it becomes so shouty by the end that you may think Laura Jane is trying to destroy her vocal chords on purpose.

There is a lot of variation, considering the confines of the record being a collection of such short and punchy songs. ‘Apocalypse Now (and Later)’ has an acoustic folk vibe to it; ‘Screamy Dreamy’ is a punk rock lullaby with ferocious screaming guitar breaks; and ‘Manic Depression’ has big fat guitars creating a slow paced grunge feel.

Bought to Rot is a great record. It presents hate and resentment in such a way that it’s fun. It stands up for those who struggle within a society that is becoming ever more confusing, frustrating and dog-eat-dog. Bought to rot, at the heart of it, is a positive record, and this is what all pop punk records should accomplish.

Words by Matthew Brocklehurst