Album Review: Potty Mouth - 'SNAFU'
LA-Based trio Potty Mouth have made the perfect soundtrack for when you’re feeling “at odds with the world” in their second album SNAFU – (Situation Normal All Fucked Up).
Back in 2016, Potty Mouth – Abby Weems (Vocals/Guitar), Ally Einbinder (bass), and Victoria Mandanas (drums) – went into the studio with every intention of creating their next album but, frustrated with the way things were going, circumstances had it that the pop-punkers would take full control of the process and do it on their own terms. Fast-forward a few years and SNAFU captures the sound of a band who are fully aware of themselves and unafraid to vocalise what they feel isn’t right about the world. ‘Do You Wanna’ and ‘22’ open up with light-hearted naivety, but there are stubborn traces of rebellion that ooze from the sides. The latter has a catchy riff that swings around like the jingle of a TV show set in High School. ‘Dog Song’ in particular could be on the soundtrack for Clueless; the most relatable, yet unrelatable iconic movie of a generation.
There is something about Potty Mouth’s sound that retains fashionable traces of that most-coveted decade; the 90’s. ‘Fencewalker’ and ‘Massachusetts’ are lyrically full of candid humour and contrasting angst – it seems as though they are ranting vessels that sound like the perfect epitome of dream-pop with hard and crisp edges. Given the band’s wide range of musical influences, it is no surprise to notice elements of synth soaked glam-rock in ‘Smash Hit’ and the grungy minor-key drawling of ‘Bottom Feeder’ which has the perfect balance between sarcastic sassiness and caring but not caring. The most interesting moments on SNAFU are the transition between the more mellow ‘Starry Eyes’ which appears to reflect on a love gone wrong, and the wall of sound that is ‘Liar’. This transiton shows the different dimensions of Potty Mouth as a band and how they have progressed from their first album, to now – especially with having full control over it all.
Potty Mouth have released SNAFU on Get Better Records which is run by bassist Ally Einbinder and her partner Alex Lichtenauer.
Words by Tyler Damara Kelly