The most kickass lady-led punk bands of today
Here’s how it goes. You’re in your room, laying on your bed and reading your favorite blog. Your deeply immersed in what you’re reading; maybe it has to do with Marvel’s all-female comic book or maybe it’s a listicle on the power of introverts. Either way, your favorite playlist is making the rounds on shuffle and there it is, the song you’ve been waiting for. As the lead singer’s vocals and a killer guitar riff make fill your ears, you stop what you’re doing, lay back, close your eyes and imagine yourself on stage, microphone in your hand ROCKING THE SOCKS OFF THE ENTIRE WORLD. Air guitar, anyone?
Ah, yes, punk music. It is no secret that it has the same screw-everything, sing-until-your -lungs-get-sore effect on ladies as it does on dudes. Queens like Patti Smith (bless) and Joan Jett, along with bands like Siouxsie and the Banshees and The Raincoats have been making their own badass reputations in the punk rock music scene way before Kathleen Hanna was Bikini Kill-ing it up and making zines in the ’90s. These days, our Spotify favorites include punk rock princesses like Girlpool and Honeyblood.
Yes, punk is considered a guys’ game, but ladies have been doing it alongside them for a while now. It’s an outlet for us to let out our inner-feminist yell, scream our frustrations and just plain kick ass. Which is probably why Sleater-Kinney (again, bless) keeps coming back to the scene with album after album. Although the free-music racket is making it a little bit easier, obscure girl groups aren’t always a cinch to find these days. So I’m here to help, because I know you’re equally in need of a girl group fix.
If you check out their Bandcamp website they describe their music as “sun-drenched flying nun influenced pop with sweet licks that’ll stick for days,” and I can’t help but agree. So sun-drenched, in fact, I thought they were from California. Nope. This trio makes their lofty jams from Vancouver. Canada, people! Their melodic harmonies, like their lyrics, are unequivocally feminine and punchy, but with a Best Coast feel.
Songs to check out: Delivery Boy, Mars Attacks (feat. Young Braised)
A personal favorite and another Vancouver-bred group. Their seven song Ep, Blows Up, made its debut in 2013 with a fast beat and a sassy sound. The four ladies came together after making the rounds with other notable bands in Vancouver’s underground music scene, and I’m sure you’ll be glad they did.
Songs to check out: 1-2-3-4 Get F-cked, Craigslist
Keel Her’s Rose Keeler-Schaffeler has been showing up to chew bubble gum and blow minds since 2006 when Myspace was still a music staple. Her punk-pop jams are more surf rock/pop than riffy loud punk, but her songs are still rock-out-able all the same. Hailing from Winchester, Keller-Shaffeler created her first album with band mate, Andrew Barnes, in the comfort of her own bedroom before taking their talents to London. You can listen to Keel Her’s full length, album on Spotify now.
Songs to check out: Riot Grrrl, Go
G.L.O.S.S. stands for Girls Living Outside Society’s Sh-t, which is a name I’m pretty sure any proper misfit (like myself) can 100% stand behind. They’re angry, pissy, and truly not here to play. They hail from Olympia, Washington where they create their rad-as-hell, hardcore punk tunes. When pressing play, expect yells, and intense sounds. But also expect to think some thoughts on society’s gender roles as the band’s lead singer, Sadie, is a badass transgender woman with a unique perspective on the female experience.
Songs to check out: Masculine Artifice, Lined Lips and Spiked Bats