Blondshell Transforms New York City into Kiss City
brooklyn, new york - oct 21st, 2024
Equal parts romance and angst, Blondshell’s (a.k.a. Sabrina Teitelbaum) late-night show at Baby’s All Right last Monday was a moment to contemplate whether to dance or cry. With introspective songs about childhood trauma, unhealthy love, and anxiety, Teitelbaum delivered a raw and energetic performance that left a bittersweet taste.
Teitelbaum and her three-piece band kicked off the show with the power ballad, “Veronica Mars”, lyrically succinct but emotionally charged. The energy in the venue surged, especially when she sang, “It's a big apartment in New York.” A cherished nod to the audience’s home city. The soft but twangy guitar of “Docket” rang out before quickly transitioning to the commanding chorus that ends with Teitelbaum confessing “He should be with someone who's more in love; Not someone eating for free; My worst nightmare is me.” She then sang a few favorites from her debut album, showcasing playful lyrics that highlight deeply serious feelings in songs like “Cartoon Earthquake” and “Sepsis.”
Next, she introduced her latest single, “What’s Fair,” which reflects on her childhood experiences through the hindsight provided by adulthood. Poignant lines like “I didn’t choose you, you chose me; I won’t chalk up; The truth to disease” capture the complexity, bitterness, and tenderness of her mother-daughter relationship, all set to a sultry melody. In a previous interview she reflected on the themes of this song saying, “What are you allowed to expect, what is normal, what behavior from a parent is okay or not okay etc? And to what extent does ‘normal’ even matter when your experience is all you have. I was just trying to sift through the past when I wrote this song and I mostly had a lot of questions.”
With the atmosphere in the room still heavy from the last song, Teitelbaum paused to announce that she had just finished working on a new album. Despite her relaxed attitude, it was clear how proud she was of the unreleased music. While there wasn’t a release date yet, she built anticipation by playing the first song from the new album, titled “T&A”, which humorously stands for “Tits & Ass.” After a few more songs and a broken guitar string, it was time for her two most popular tracks that launched her career in 2022.
“Olympus” opened with the sultry sound and longing lyrics that the audience knew well. Its more cheerful counterpart, “Kiss City”, showcased Teitelbaum’s vocal prowess as she belted the chorus without any of the vocal distortion present in the studio version. The crowd effortlessly sang along to every lyric, underscoring how cherished these songs are to her fans. She closed out the night with two final tracks from her self-titled album, “Tarmac” and “Salad”.
Teitelbaum’s unassuming appearance conceals a trifecta of talents: lyrical mastery, captivating and distinctive melodies, and vocals that are perfectly aligned with the genre. Oscillating between casually expressed reflections and powerful confessions, she generates a uniquely charged energy that is both romantic and devastating. Deep wounds are intricately framed and laid bare through her lyrics. The distortion-heavy guitar instrumentation and grungy vocal textures serve as the walls that support this evocative display, grounding her in the familiar alt-rock genre.
While Teitelbaum is on a break from touring, excitement for her next album builds. Until then, check out her existing body of work below:
