Thunderbitch

I was watching this new Rubble Kings documentary on Netflix. It's almost like a prequel to Crush Groove and Beat Street and Wild Style, taking you into the true story of New York gangs in the 1970s. Such gangs provided the impetus for the fantastical dystopia portrayed in the cult classic street gang flick, The Warriors.

Moreso than the violence, which actually seemed tame and quaint when held up against today's lethal children, the most fascinating thing about the movie was the proto-hip hop music and style. I don't want to spoil the documentary, but unless you're some kind of suburban piece of shit Jason Mraz fan (I'm looking at you Tom Bomb xoxoxo), you know by now that out of the blight of the 70s, a city literally at its rock bottom, came rap music. 

I consider myself up on rap history, but Rubble Kings schooled me left and right. Black gangsters sporting swastika patches with a side of mean mug!? And the music! (Side note: props to Little Shalimar on that score, bruh!) I believe the Ghetto Brother's band was described as something like a combination of Santana, Sly and the Family Stone, and the Beatles. 

Well, my whole point in all this is, mix in a little Molly Hatchet, and some Chuck Berry guitar riffs, and Aretha Franklin's throat, and The Troggs shrill wildness and you get Thunderbitch. My dendrites just made that satisfying 'snap' like when the piece fit.  

Thunderbitch is a garage rock/punk outfit of our holiness Brittany Howard of Alabama Shakes alongside members of Fly Golden Eagle and Clear Plastic Masks. Thunderbitch is meant to be a band of alter egos of sorts. But despite enigmatic press photos and the esoteric giggles, Howard's gravelly bombast is a sure tell. This isn't like some Daft Punk or Deadmaus identity statement, or Gorrillaz concept art, Thunderbitch seems like Howard and her bandmates (equally shrouded in mystery) giving us another side of themselves musically. I don't want to spend this entire review focused on who Thunderbitch is, because I'm pretty sure they are going for the exact opposite of that. 

Let's instead focus on how they sound and what they do to mah BOOTY! 

Thunderbitch's self-titled debut record is like the Luigi to Alabama Shakes' Mario. Both are insanely capable, but with the popularity of Alabama Shakes, they will always be the main character. But it seems Thunderbitch felt like they wanted to save the princess from another grittier (slightly taller and green?) lane. Thunderbitch is loud and fun and uptempo. The pure rock and rollness of it had me doing the mash potato while microwaving instant mash potatoes because I'm single and it was the last edible thing in my pantry besides some kind of canned eggplant. 

There is a pureness to Thunderbitch. There is no huge emotional catharsis, but just fucking rock, man. This is music made for the people. Music made to make the good people feel good and the bad people feel good. Music made for ALL the people to dance and scrunch up their faces while they clap hard on the 2s and 4s. And I can definitely get down with that. 

Buy and stream Thunderbitch here.