Review: Le Butcherettes – A Raw Youth

Le Butcherettes
A Raw Youth

Ipecac Recordings
Street: 09.18
Le Butcherettes = Tame Impala x Yeah Yeah Yeahs + Jack White

I’ve had many friends who didn’t recognize what a bass guitar can add to a band, and I wish I’d had A Raw Youth to show them. This driving album owes a lot to its bassist, Jamie Aux, whose playing is dance-y and rock-solid, and totally lays the foundation for a catchy record. Listeners will probably recognize a couple of big guest artists who appear throughout a raw youth, but the strongest material is absolutely what Le Butcherettes do on their own. The powerful opener, “Shave the Pride” sets a high-energy mood for the rest of the record. “Reason to Die Young” reminds me of a less doped-up Beach House, with strong vocals from Teri Gender Bender—who sounds a lot like Emma Ruth Rundle out of Marriages. A Raw Youth does a lot of things right, and it’s a great listen as an accessible punk album. –Alex Blackburn