A Raw Youth Explained

A Raw Youth
Type:Studio Album
Artist:Le Butcherettes
Cover:A_raw_youth_album_cover.jpg
Released:September 18, 2015
Recorded:2015
Genre:Punk rock, indie rock
Length:41:18
Label:Rodriguez Lopez Productions, Ipecac[1]
Producer:Omar Rodríguez-López
Prev Title:Cry Is for the Flies
Prev Year:2014
Next Title:bi/MENTAL
Next Year:2019

A Raw Youth is the third album by Mexican band Le Butcherettes, released on September 18, 2015 via Ipecac Recordings

Lyrics and themes

The album examines themes of personal and social oppression.[2]

"Shave the Pride" originated as a diatribe against Gender Bender's bearded lover hiding behind "masses of hair". After rewrites, the song's "outrage and frustration" became directed against society's "unwillingess to view all perceptions of [a] story... hiding behind the mass media."[3]

"La Uva” uses a symbol of a grape to represent "a fragile being that can be stepped on. But, the ink from its body stains and is seen by other people."[2] It was originally recorded by Bosnian Rainbows, but remained unreleased. The studio version by Le Butcherettes samples the Bosnian Rainbows version.[4]

"Sold Less Than Gold" was partially inspired by Gender Bender's trip to Iran. According to her, "the song was written with women from the Middle East in mind - women that were being sold from their family to strangers. Being raped and mutilated."[2] It's about "women (...) sold into marriages or into sex slavery and how resilient their spirits are.”[5]

"The Hitch Hiker" plays out a call-and-response between a hitchhiker and the man who picks her up. The situation escalates into kidnapping and murder.[5]

"My Half" deals with "finding closure with the loss of an unjust death."[6]

Reception

A Raw Youth received generally favorable reviews.[7]

Consequence of Sounds Karen Gwee wrote that the album "marks Le Butcherettes’ triumphant entrance to the mainstream rock arena, accomplished with no compromise to their identity."[5]

Track listing

All music and lyrics written by Teri Gender Bender.

Personnel

Le Butcherettes[8]

Additional musicians[8]

Production[8]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Le Butcherettes team with John Frusciante and Iggy Pop for new album . Consequence of Sound . June 15, 2015 . November 15, 2015 . Young, Alex.
  2. Web site: Le Butcherettes Turn Oppression And Pain Into Mosh-Worthy Songs. https://web.archive.org/web/20150919054411/http://www.mtv.com/news/2246768/le-butcherettes-a-raw-youth-interview/. dead. September 19, 2015. John Gentile. . 19 December 2015.
  3. Web site: Song Premiere: Le Butcherettes, 'Shave The Pride'. Katie Presley. . 16 December 2015.
  4. Web site: Bosnian Rainbows - LP2 Leaked Tracks (FULL ALBUM). www.youtube.com.
  5. Web site: Le Butcherettes - A Raw Youth. Karen Gwee. 19 December 2015.
  6. Web site: Interview: Le Butcherettes . Carlos Dennis . 9 January 2016 .
  7. Web site: A Raw Youth by Le Butcherettes. . 19 December 2015.
  8. Web site: Le Butcherettes A Raw Youth Credits. . 15 December 2015.