The Lindas are Older and Angrier Than Ever in New Album, GOTTA GET OUT
They’ve opened for Green Day, performed with Bikini Kill, written the soundtrack to a movie, and recently released their third studio album, GOTTA GET OUT. The Linda Lindas have returned to the studio, now under the direction of a new music label – Reprise Records.
Captivating audiences since 2019, The Linda Lindas have been hustling since they rapidly rose to fame during the Covid-19 pandemic. Their mega viral hit “Racist, Sexist Boy” was inspired by anti-Asian hate in the midst of the pandemic, and it has catalyzed every song they’ve written since.
Since the band's inception, their core messaging has remained unapologetically political. GOTTA GET OUT is no different.
The album opens up with a retro, synth-pop track, signaling the beginning of a new era for the band. The song lays the foundation for the different themes covered throughout the rest of the track.
“Big world and I’m falling behind/ Yeah I’d thought I’d go far/ But I’m just wasting time,” eerily repeats over and over as the song seamlessly flows into “Burning Out.”
Here, they lean into anxious restlessness. The world is falling apart, and we’re watching it unfold in real time, on our phones, from the comfort of our rooms. There’s an uncomfortable juxtaposition made between the desire to act, the familiarity of passiveness, and the subsequent guilt of ineptitude.
As they put it plainly: it’s burnout. Exhaustion from watching a fight you haven’t even begun to draw your sword in.
As with all Linda Lindas albums, the album contains one song entirely in Spanish. In this case, it’s “Helado de Limón.” Perhaps the most ambiguous track on the album, it’s difficult to pinpoint the lyrics to a specific event, political or otherwise.
That said, the song is drum- and guitar-heavy, with less emphasis on the lyrics and lead voice. A song seemingly about self-worth and confidence, “Helado de Limon” is a refreshing transition into the rest of the punk-centered album.
Songs like “Nothing Left” and “High Horse” criticize industries like Big Tech and Oil, ineffective politicians, and greedy businessmen. High Horse further leans into those ideas and criticizes contemptuous bystanders.
“How much will your money mean?/ When you got no air to breathe?/ Wake up before it gets ya/ Can't run, it's all around us,” the band pleads in “Nothing Left.”
But perhaps their most notable callout of the album comes in “Blood On Our Hands.” In it, the lead singer invokes a profound sense of anger, directed solely at our current political leaders.
“All the people here, we'll let them go hungry/ How does building camps and dropping bombs help our country?/ Give me a good reason that they're taking away/ Healthcare and food that people need day to day/ And I don't care about your wealth, I don't care about your tax breaks/ Nothing big or beautiful about a fascist state,” is just verse one of the song.
For The Linda Lindas, there’s no tiptoeing around it; they’re angry, and they want the world to know.
The album's 5th track features Hayley Williams and further leans into this notion of youthful pessimism and anxiety.
“Closer” dives into themes of hope, despair, and blind idealism. It describes someone yearning for better while constantly bearing witness to the atrocities of mankind. There’s a level of intimacy in hope, and that feeling translates perfectly between the vocals of Williams and The Linda Lindas.
The Linda Lindas first rose to fame when their youngest member was 10 years old, and so it should come as no surprise that there’s such a vast array of sounds on this album. From traditional metal punk in “Break” to indie-pop in “See You Next Time” – there’s something in this album for everyone.
Totaling 12 songs and 35 minutes from start to finish, GOTTA GET OUT is available to listen to on all streaming platforms. And for those who want to see them live, The Linda Lindas begin their GOTTA GET OUT Tour September 16, details available at thelindalindas.com.
