Le Hen - Alibi (2018) Hi Res

An album for girls who are not afraid, who have broken their balls to be judged, advised, forced, guided and ammonite. Without filters, ironic and full of meanings at the same time. For those who can not take more than gender labels and simply want to be free to do what they like.

The Hen are a trio of Bolognese girls, with so much courage, so much sweetness and a great desire to do what they want, without having too many labels on them. The name that they have chosen is long: Hen, who is none other than the new Swedish pronoun without genre, because the only genre they want to belong to is the musical one. Hen, however, also means hen in English and bizarre in Japanese: a guarantee of transformation, unpredictability and a good alibi behind which to hide if necessary.

In this new double EP, in fact, it is precisely Alibi that speaks. Each piece hides something less obvious and the album itself is born with two sides: side A and side B, one in Italian and one in English, because Le Hen sing as they like and belong to both worlds. Through this duality the record actually changes. Of the Italian side, the texts that, although sometimes bizarre, bring to light the boldness of the great truths with boldness, which would be more often sung at the top of the list, are undoubtedly better appreciated. The English side, on the other hand, appreciates the artistic quality of the sound, the choice of musical influences from across the Channel to be inspired and a less raw execution, which makes it possible to appreciate a different musical sensitivity of the girls.

Alibi brings with him word games, dualisms and subtexts, which according to the song may prefer irony, boldness or the courage of words and positions that count. From the excuses of a cold of "Abore Bio", to the beautiful anthem of "Non Credo" and to the bold and ironic "Taffetà", and this only for the Italian side. Alongside the winks on the Anglo-Japanese side of the meaning of Hen, we unravel the courage to shout in the face texts that denounce the regulations and moral obligations that women have to suffer in their lives. An example of "Cursed Fa": "Be good, do good, make children, make mother, remember birthdays, cook eggplant, always make me respect without being hated [...] Cursed" Fa "[I have not you chosen], I can not / no longer want to "tune" ». Because it's OK to be without gender, but if you are three women from an Italian city and you are free people, these are some of the problems you are facing; and it is a gesture by people (not women, people) brave and free to sing it. And in Italian, because the game of alibi is fine, but at least that the message has more chances to be understood.

On the musical level there are different influences: from post punk to indie-rock, from rock art to grunge, to more electronic inspirations. In some points (read "I do not believe") it is probable that the Capovilla of the Teatro degli Orrori would smile satisfied, in others we remember the greener Verdena and some things of the Teatro degli Orrori, all combined with the sound frankness of the punk of the origins.

And this only with respect to Side A, because there is no Alibi without unexpected, and then how to deny the curious listener the surprise of a beautiful side B in pure English style?

Independent of the soul to the label, these three girls will not be perfect (and hardly want to be), but will take you on an adventure without prejudices and boundaries, made of a lot of heart, a lot of irony, a lot of effort and a lot of perspiration. Ready to face these three riot grrls?