Black Dresses Explained

Black Dresses
Caption:Their logo on their SoundCloud
Origin:Toronto, Ontario, Canada[1]
Past Members:
  • Devi McCallion
  • Ada Rook

Black Dresses were a Canadian noise pop duo consisting of Ada Rook and Devi McCallion, formed in 2017.[2] [3] Their debut album, Wasteisolation, was released independently in 2018. The duo released three additional albums, Thank You (2019), Love and Affection for Stupid Little Bitches (2019), and Peaceful as Hell (2020), before breaking up in 2020 in response to harassment received by McCallion. Despite maintaining their declaration of disbandment in 2020, Black Dresses released three additional albums, Forever in Your Heart (2021), Forget Your Own Face (2022), and Laughingfish (2024). Upon releasing Laughingfish, the band announced that it would be their final album.[4] [5] [6]

History

2018-2019: Wasteisolation, Thank You, and Love and Affection for Stupid Little Bitches

Black Dresses was formed in 2017 by self-taught musicians Ada Rook and Devi McCallion after Rook sent McCallion a beat on Twitter.[7] They released their first single, a cover of M.I.A.'s "Paper Planes", in December 2017.

The duo released their debut album, Wasteisolation, in April 2018.[8] The album was created entirely through online collaboration, with McCallion based in Toronto and Rook in Vancouver.[9] Wasteisolation received positive coverage by Noisey,[10] Stereogum[11] and The Fader who called it "a raw, abrasive, and deliriously catchy album about surviving as trans women in an antagonistic world."[9] This was followed shortly by the EP HELL IS REAL, released in October of the same year.[12] The EP featured in Stereogums Best EPs of 2018 list,[13] with the duo also featuring in the publication's list of best new artists.[14]

In February 2019, Black Dresses released their second studio album, Thank You.[15] In May, they released Dreams Come True 2019, a remix EP consisting of new versions of several Wasteisolation tracks.[16] The band released their third studio album, Love and Affection for Stupid Little Bitches in August 2019.[17] The album was reviewed positively, with Pitchforks Colin Joyce awarding an album a rating of 7.7,[3] and Noisey including the record on its "22 Best Albums You May Have Missed in 2019" list.[18]

2020: Peaceful as Hell and initial disbandment

In March 2020, a full-length animated video for the Wasteisolation track "Nausea" was released. On 13 April 2020, the second anniversary of Wasteisolations release, Black Dresses released their fourth LP, Peaceful as Hell.[19] The album received a rating of 7.6 from Pitchfork, with Leah Mandel stating, "Especially with the world's hellishness currently blaring at us, every social disparity spotlighted and exacerbated, loneliness and doubt deepened to an extreme degree, Peaceful as Hell is perfect medicine".[2]

The duo announced via Twitter on May 26, 2020, that Black Dresses would be disbanding, citing the harassment received by McCallion as the reason.[20] The band's music was also temporarily taken off streaming services.[21] in July 2020, after the duo disbanded, a remix of 100 gecs song, "745 Sticky", was released on the remix album 1000 Gecs and the Tree of Clues. On December 20, 2020, a new single titled "World Peace" featuring ESPer99 was announced on Twitter,[22] which was recorded in 2019. The single was released the next day on December 21, 2020.[23] McCallion and Rook also continued to release solo music, with McCallion using the alias Girls Rituals and Rook using her real name.[9]

2021-2022: Forever in Your Heart and Forget Your Own Face

On February 14, 2021, the duo released their fifth studio album, Forever in Your Heart, announcing it 30 minutes prior to its release. Despite the release, the group stated "We're no longer a band unfortunately. Regardless, we've decided to keep putting out music."[24] Ten days later, Backxwash announced the tracklist for her album I Lie Here Buried with My Rings and My Dresses, which was to feature Rook and McCallion on separate tracks,[25] although after tracklist changes McCallion did not appear on the album.

In August 2021, Black Dresses' music returned to streaming services.[26] In December 2021, Black Dresses appeared on the holiday compilation album Christmasasaurus X2 with their version of the song "We Are Children of the Light" by Eugene O'Reilley.[27] [28]

On February 14, 2022, the duo released their sixth studio album, Forget Your Own Face, exactly one year after their previous album released, to overall positive reception.[29] Hannah Jocelyn on Pitchfork stated: "For a band that often writes about internalized shame and self-loathing, the resentment at the heart of this record feels more outwardly pointed."[30] On September 30, 2022, the duo released a cover of the Scene Queen track "Pink Panther".[31] An announcement was posted on their Twitter for their cover of "Kill All Your Friends",[32] which was released the same day on October 17, 2022.

2023-2024: Laughingfish and final disbandment

On May 3, 2023, Black Dresses posted an announcement for a new single titled "Gutz" featuring Rirugiliyangugili.[33] The music video for the song was released the next day on May 4, 2023. That August, they collaborated with Canadian Electro-pop band Purity Ring for their single "Shines". They released a remix of "Got Damn Star" by So Drove on September 29, 2023, which features Kevin Jz Prodigy, Kornbread Jeté, and Yung Onyx.[34]

The duo released their seventh studio album, Laughingfish, on May 20, 2024. Upon release, they announced that it would be their final album.

Band members and solo work

Ada Rook

Rook releases music under her own name, as well as her side project Crisis Sigil.[35] She is also a member of the duo Rook & Nomie in addition to Black Dresses.[36] In 2022, she released an album titled Ugly Death No Redemption Angel Curse I Love You, featuring ESPer99.[37] The album includes samples of the 2007 anime Ice. Rook and Ash Nerve created a duo group, Angel Electronics in 2022, releasing a nine song EP, Ultra Paradise, in 2023.[38]

Devi McCallion

McCallion has released music online since at least 2006, under her own name as well as several different aliases. She released her first album 1998 under the alias Eat Babies in 2006, and released Meow in 2011.[39] [40] [41] [42]

As Mom, she has released five studio albums, four of which are numbered self-titled releases.[43]

As Girls Rituals, she has released six projects: Reddishness (2015), New Nowhere (2016), Emergency! (2017), I'm Desperate (2018), Crap Shit (2020),[44] and Cow (2021).[45] Under Girls Rituals, she also released a single entitled "Black Cloud" in 2017, for which she later released a compilation project featuring seven remixes of the song by various other artists titled Black Cloud 2021 (2021). McCallion also has two albums under the alias Cats Millionaire: Fun Fun Fun (2013), and I'm So Sorry (2012). She also created two collaboration albums with Katie Dey: Some New Form of Life (2018), and Magic Fire Brain (2020).

She has been a member of several side projects over the years, including the Various Endeavors?[46] She co-produced most of the band's music from 2007 to 2010. She is also a member of Anarchy 99[47] with So Drove. Anarchy 99 has released one studio album, Rockstar Super Heat (2021).

Discography

Albums

EPs

Singles

As lead artist

As featured artist

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Souls are as frigid as their music: Toronto's newest noise-pop duo Black Dresses. CFMU-FM. 18 March 2019. Teodor. Zetko. 28 April 2020.
  2. Web site: Black Dresses: Peaceful As Hell. Pitchfork. Leah. Mandel. 24 April 2020. 28 April 2020.
  3. Web site: Black Dresses: Love And Affection For Stupid Little Bitches. Pitchfork. Colin. Joyce. 31 August 2019. 28 April 2020.
  4. Web site: Stream Black Dresses' "Final Album" LAUGHINGFISH. Stereogum. James. Rettig. 20 May 2024. 1 June 2024.
  5. Web site: Final album "LAUGHINGFISH" out now. Twitter.com. 20 May 2024. 1 June 2024.
  6. Web site: this is the last one. thank you everyone for all the support you've shown this music over the years. it means more to me than i can say. take care of yourselves out there.. Twitter.com. 20 May 2024. 21 May 2024.
  7. Web site: The sound of Toronto right now. Max. Mertens. NOW Toronto. 16 January 2019. 28 April 2020.
  8. Web site: Stream Black Dresses WASTEISOLATION. James. Rettig. 13 April 2018. 28 April 2020. Stereogum.
  9. Web site: The addictive power of Black Dresses's dark, delirious noise pop. Sasha. Geffen. The Fader. 1 June 2018. 28 April 2020.
  10. Web site: 40 Essential Albums You Probably Missed So Far in 2018. Colin. Joyce. Noisey. 20 July 2018. 28 April 2020.
  11. Web site: The 50 Best Albums Of 2018 So Far. 6 June 2018. 28 April 2020. James. Rettig. Stereogum.
  12. Web site: Stream Black Dresses' New HELL IS REAL EP. Stereogum. James. Rettig. 15 October 2018. 28 April 2020.
  13. Web site: 25 Great EPs From 2018. 5 December 2018. 28 April 2020. James. Rettig. Stereogum.
  14. Web site: Stereogum's 40 Best New Bands Of 2018. Stereogum. 29 October 2018. 28 April 2020. Gabriela. Tully Claymore.
  15. Web site: Stream Black Dresses' New Album THANK YOU. 5 February 2019. 28 April 2020. James. Rettig. Stereogum.
  16. Web site: DREAMS COME TRUE 2019. Bandcamp.
  17. Web site: Stream Black Dresses' New Album LOVE AND AFFECTION FOR STUPID LITTLE BITCHES. James. Rettig. Stereogum. 1 August 2019. 28 April 2020.
  18. Web site: The 22 Best Albums You May Have Missed in 2019. 24 December 2019. 28 April 2020. Noisey. Colin. Joyce.
  19. Web site: Stream Black Dresses' New Album Peaceful As Hell. Stereogum. James. Rettig. 13 April 2020. 28 April 2020.
  20. BlackDresses666. 1265438821417705479. 26 May 2020. Announcement.
  21. Web site: Black Dresses "will no longer exist," following alleged TikTok drama; music taken off streaming services. BrooklynVegan. Hatfield. Amanda. 26 May 2020. 18 August 2021. en.
  22. Web site: We made this song in November of last year when ESPer99 was staying with us. Please enjoy . 2023-09-12 . X (formerly Twitter) . en.
  23. News: Gregory . Alice . December 21, 2020 . Black Dresses Return with New Single "World Peace" . . December 21, 2020.
  24. News: Breihan, Tom . February 15, 2021 . Black Dresses Are Still Broken Up, But They Just Released A New Album Anyway . Stereogum . February 16, 2021.
  25. News: Bobkin . Matt . Backxwash Gets clipping., Black Dresses, Sad13 for Upcoming Album . 3 March 2021 . . 24 February 2021.
  26. Web site: 8 August 2021. music back on streaming. live. 18 August 2021. Twitter. en. https://web.archive.org/web/20210818150257/https://twitter.com/BlackDresses666/status/1424438196406980610?s=19 . 18 August 2021 .
  27. Web site: Rettig. James. 2021-12-14. Black Dresses – "We Are Children Of The Light". live. 2021-12-26. Stereogum. en. https://web.archive.org/web/20211214155642/https://www.stereogum.com/2170769/black-dresses-we-are-children-of-the-light/music/ . 14 December 2021 .
  28. Web site: 2021-12-24. New Songs Out Today. live. 2021-12-26. BrooklynVegan. en. https://web.archive.org/web/20211214232342/https://www.brooklynvegan.com/12-new-songs-out-today-33/ . 14 December 2021 .
  29. Web site: Gregory. Allie. 2022-02-15. Black Dresses Drop New Album 'Forget Your Own Face'. 2022-02-15. Exclaim!. en-ca.
  30. Web site: Jocelyn. Hannah. 2022-03-01. Black Dresses: Forget Your Own Face. 2022-06-25. Pitchfork. en-ca.
  31. Web site: 2022-09-30 . 23 New Songs Out Today . 2022-10-06 . BrooklynVegan . en.
  32. 1582059272351150080 . BlackDresses666 . We covered the My Chemical Romance @MCRofficial song "Kill All Your Friends". . Black Dresses . October 17, 2022.
  33. Web site: Instagram . 2023-09-12 . www.instagram.com.
  34. Web site: Got Damn Star (Black Dresses remix) feat. Kevin Jz Prodigy, Kornbread Jeté & Yung Onyx. Bandcamp.
  35. Web site: crisis sigil, by crisis sigil . 2023-09-29 . Ada Rook . en.
  36. Web site: rook&nomie. Bandcamp. 15 February 2022.
  37. Web site: Ugly Death No Redemption Angel Curse I Love You, by Ada Rook . 2022-06-02 . Ada Rook . en.
  38. Web site: Angel Electronics . 2022-07-31 . Spotify . en.
  39. Web site: blacksquares reserve - YouTube . 2022-03-08 . www.youtube.com.
  40. Web site: Magic Fire Brain, by Devi McCallion & Katie Dey . 2022-03-08 . Devi McCallion . en.
  41. Web site: Rockstar Super Heat, by Anarchy 99 . 2022-03-08 . Devi McCallion . en.
  42. Web site: I'm So Sorry, by Cats Millionaire . 2022-03-08 . Devi McCallion . en.
  43. Web site: Devi McCallion . 2023-03-27 . Devi McCallion . en.
  44. Web site: Stream Girls Rituals' New Album Crap Shit. Stereogum. Rettig. James. 17 May 2020. 15 February 2022.
  45. Web site: Stream Girls Rituals' New Cow EP. Stereogum. Rettig. James. 16 November 2021. 15 February 2022.
  46. Web site: The Various Endeavors?, by the Various Endeavors? .
  47. Web site: Anarchy 99 by Anarchy 99 .