Pink Shift, Love Me Forever
Hopeless Records
It’s official: the kids are most certainly not alright. In a snarl of punk-rock attitude and a clap of post-grunge cynicism, Pinkshift’s debut is a molotov cocktail of teen angst. Love Me Forever is the type of album that has its heart on its on its sleeve, a slew of diary-entry breakdowns and introspection – but that doesn’t mean it is weak. Filled-to-the-brim with all-out ragers, Pinkshift turn pain and vulnerability into something wry, raging and deliciously stompy.
Right out the gates, Pinkshift set the tone perfectly. The grunge-fuelled frenzy of i’m not crying you’re crying is ripe for screeching into your hairbrush and thrashing around your bedroom, joyously howling “I’M TOTALLY FINE!” These sass-fuelled anthems are abundant, tracks like GET OUT the sonic embodiment of a teenage breakdown, drums racing as Ashrita Kumar screams “GET OUT OF MY FACE!”
Track after track feels like a wave of spiky, vibrant, neon-pink catharsis. The bratty, smooth-brain frustration of nothing (in my head) is furious and razor-sharp, channeling all its fury into something loud, proud and deliciously moshable. Even the conflicted pessimism of cherry (we’re all gonna die) or the kids aren’t alright, Pinkshift ooze a riot grrl charm that doubles as a call-to-arms. Kumar’s vocal grit is reminiscent of the Marmozets’ Becca Macintyre, drowning in punk-rock rage that is impossible to resist – you simply HAVE to get stuck in, fully sinking into the wrath.
But not every track is a barrelling temper-tantrum. in a breath is shockingly vulnerable, drawing in the claws and hiding the fangs in favour of something stripped back and tender. With its sombre piano and Kumar’s delicate reflection of “once broken, twice as hard to fix…” this is a track that is equally as intense as the rest of the album but highlights just how diverse Pinkshift are capable of being. Yes, they can knock out a punk rock banger, but that doesn’t mean they can’t peel back the attitude and serve up some soft, gentle introspection.
Love Me Forever is an exposed nerve of a record. Riling with passion, Pinkshift have crafted a listening experience that is sure to make you feel – whether that be rage, exhilaration or downright sorrow, this is an album that you can’t help but experience wholeheartedly. This is a debut that will have you rushing back for more – so grab that hairbrush, and prepare yourself for a darn good screech-along.
Love Me Forever is out now.