The Baby Seals - Chaos (2024) Hi-Res

The debut album from riot grrrl-infused trio The Baby Seals, a fun and furious takedown of modern misogyny.

Anyone throwing around the now entrenched phrase “feminist killjoy” clearly needs to get the fast, furious and yes, downright funny music of The Baby Seals in their world. Bringing the gritty sound and empowering ideology of riot grrrl into 2024, the Cambridgeshire trio’s debut album is a rip into misogyny with a firm sense of playfulness and humour held onto throughout.

Opener Yawn Porn certainly sets the scene, its very NSFW chorus of “he’s gonna come on her face!” taking on the wearisome nature of repetitive porn in high-speed fashion. The band’s own attitude towards sex is, as you would expect, a complete de-mystification, wholeheartedly embracing female sexuality while never overly prettifying it. The themes are somewhat self-explanatory from the titles alone – current single Vibrator and My Labia’s Lopsided, But I Don’t Mind (the latter of which may seem like mere bawdy comedy, but in the pornography-influenced age in which teenage girls are genuinely emailing problem pages about the perfectly normal perceived flaws of their vaginas, it is almost a rallying cry to acceptance).

Generally, the sound of the record matches up to the themes in its bold, fast deliveries. Songs such as ID’d in Aldi (a lyrically hilarious tribute to the joys of being asked for ID, even with a trolley of distinctly grown-up purchases such as IBS meds) and anti-patriarchal rants Invisible Woman and Mild Misogynist, make use of frontwoman Kerry Devine’s yelp over buzzsaw guitars and lashings of attitude. When they do slow down the pace, the results are impressive. The album’s title track is a thunderous slice of rolling bass and more considered vocals which builds to a big, expansive sound. Upon listening, it’s hard to believe that this band are a trio, showing they are just as capable as the vast as they are the irresistible punk melody.

Closing track It’s Not About The Money, Honey takes a similar build-up, Devine’s powerful vocals perfect for delivering the simple lyrical punch of the repeated line “it’s not about the money, honey, we just want the same.” What better way to end an album determined to tackle the plague of everyday sexism than with an unflinching swipe at the glass ceiling?

On the whole, Chaos is an album that lives up to its title, but it’s very much a brilliantly organised chaos, taking down the patriarchy one chord (and several hilariously pithy put-downs) at a time.