Published on Mar 10, 2023
So, I admit it, I spend a lot of time on TikTok. If it wasn’t for TikTok, I wouldn’t hear any music newer than 2009.
Courtesy of the much-maligned platform, one of the folks I follow introduced me to emlyn’s “God Sent Me As Karma,” one of the angriest, funniest, and most vicious songs I’d ever heard. The heartwarming story of a woman who has decided to make a reprehensible man pay and then some, it hooked me hard. When I got the chance, I checked out emlyn’s entire CD, the magnificently named Loneliest B!tch In America.
And oh, I’m so happy I did.
emlyn wields lyrics like scalpels. Or battleaxes. Or cricket bats. She has opinions, she doesn’t seem to give a damn who hears them, and she’s more than willing to get pissed off about them, a feminine voice more direct than Billy Bragg and more bitter than Bob Mould at his worst (best?). When someone references treating you like the movie Gone Girl, you probably screwed up somewhere.
It’s not all anger, however. Her voice is articulate and powerful; the dance-pop vibe is strong and well-performed. The first five songs slam into you like bullets, each one neatly crafted—and then suddenly you’re hit with “right?”, one of the saddest songs I’ve heard in a long time. “adulting” is an anthem for everyone who never wanted to grow up. And the dual kick of “you make a woman wanna…” and “temporary funeral” is the best musical work about feminist murder since the Chicks first said “Goodbye” to “Earl.”
I can’t recommend this CD highly enough, even if I’m not in the target audience. Tasty music and nail-on-the-head lyrics are ageless and timeless. Check it out today.