Screaming Females- Castle Talk (2010)

In anticipation of the new Screaming Females album which drops Tuesday (and hasn't leaked yet, goddamn it) NSMYR! is providing a primer for those of you who may be unaware the bands charms. Screaming Females are an indie punk trio from New Brunswick, New Jersey. Admittedly I was a little late to the party, not having actually heard them until last year when I happened upon Castle Talk, but that first listen was a revelation. Have you ever been a few tracks into an initial listen and you just know that you're hearing one of your new favorite albums? That's what this album was like for me.

I hate to focus in on one individual in a band when describing them to someone who might not be familiar, but guitarist/vocalist Melissa Paternoster is undoubtedly the centerpiece of the Screaming Females. Simply put, she shreds. Her playing exudes an effortlessness and nonchalance, the riffs and solos just seem to well up at the tips of her fingers until they can't be contained any longer and finally burst forth. Her fluid, stream-of-conscious style reminds me of two of my favorite guitarists ever, Jimi Hendrix and J. Mascis, the latter being the more apt comparison stylistically. Her voice is tremendous. Powerful and finding a near perfect balance between the brashness of Kathleen Hanna and swagger of Carrie Brownstein.  

I think everybody should give this a listen, but fans of Dinosaur Jr., Hüsker Dü and Sleater-Kinney should especially take note.

Try it.

Buy it:

Physical (CD + LP)

Digital