Illuminati Hotties’ anticipated new album “Power” is out next month, and she’s shared the title track. “This song feels scary to share,” she writes on Instagram, “I can’t tell you the relief I felt when I cracked open the meaning of this song & also the fear that if I spilled my guts I couldn’t step away from reality. I hope you find comfort in ‘Power’ & I RLY hope you’re ready to sing this thing with me on tour.”
Sarah Tudzin’s previous album as illuminati hotties, wore its many outfits with conviction: its riot grrrl satire, its devastating eulogy to Tudzin’s dog, its absurdist low-key violent lyrics (“I’m biting my lip and I’m biting yours, too / ’Til the blood tastes like chocolate goo”)—not to mention its inclusion of “MMMOOOAAAAAYAYA,” easily the most outlandish, unique indie-pop song of 2021. With her new album “Power”, Tudzin has purged most of the mischievous experimentation from her system; the leftovers feel made by someone in a happier place, but largely lack the moxie and irreverence that set her apart.
Tudzin got married in 2023, and her honeymoon contentment is all over “Power”. It’s not that love was absent before, though. “The Sway” from “Let Me Do One More” is one of the greatest love ballads ever (I’ll die on that hill), as Tudzin pleaded her muse to “soft split a borrowed 12 of Modelo” and “share all your stains and your bruises with me” over the warm ticking of an ersatz drum loop and offbeat acoustic guitar part. Those sentiments are more bizarre (and, therefore, more interesting) than “Power’s” goofy domestic bliss. “I Would Like, Still Love You” aims in a similar direction, but its listicle lyric format is less witty than it could be, and lines such as “If you drill a hole through my hard drive / Don’t worry, I’m backed up and still I love you” are probably better enjoyed by the lyrics’ recipient.
releases August 23rd, 2024
The Fat Angel Sings 