Killola – Lets’ Get Associated

Modern pop absolutely disgusts female fronted American garage rock four piece Killona.  In a manner of speaking, for their third studio album, Let’s Get Associated, the band rips open so many cans of worms that it’s tough to know where to start.  But I’ll give it my best shot: imagine if 90’s punk rocker Biff Naked wrote an album in the style of Aqua as a satire to Lady Gaga’s hypersexualized view of contemporary society.  It’s brazen, in your face, and surprisingly fun to follow along with.

Key to their success, Killola makes a mockery of pop music without making a mockery of themselves.  Every song comes with a satiristic or ironic agenda, but never succumbs to the pitfalls of the clichés they fight against.  Take “1-2-3-4” for instance.  The track bases itself around the inevitable procreative consequences of subscribing to a lifestyle of random hook-ups and meaningless flings (read: pregnancy), quickly turning into a commentary on the politics of American abortion policy.  Vocalist Lisa Rieffel asks playfully, “why are fundamentalist Christians so damn temperamental?” before putting on a sugary, southern red-neck guise and shouting “1-2-3-4 it’s so much fun to be a whore/5-6-7-8 let’s get laid let’s get laid/1-2-3-4 oh what the hell, what’s one more?/5-6-7-8 Procreate! Populate!” to which she returns to her initial tone and asks, “the world is full of idiots, so what’s one less?”  As she points out mid way, her delivery is “crass” in the bluntest, most unapologetic sense of the word – but she’s got guts and an opinion – which is more than most top 40’s artists can say.

Stylistically Rieffel has a deep, smokey voice that along with her band’s tough riffs shreds through clichés like a band saw through bone.  Look no further than “Mid-Day Rebel” for Killona’s 90’s rock core.  From this foundation the band gains the confidence to explore popular styles like club hip-hop (“She’s A Bitch”) or No Doubt-like ska pieces (“Who We Think We Are”) without any hesitation.  Single “Cracks In The Armour” might liberally sprinkle on synth sounds, but the quartet never looses sight of their pop crushing crusade, keeping their rocky core front and centre.

Now, some may argue that Killola takes their critique too far (ie. “I Wanna See your Dick”).  But on the contrary, their blunt and frank delivery merely echoes the current state of pop music.  Thankfully, Killolaisn’t just here to point out flaws, but to remedy them in the process.  When all is said and done, their mockeries are tough but true and should find warm welcome in agreeing skeptics.  It’s never been a better (or more fun) time to be a hater.