ya better give yourself a pinch...

Approximately a year ago I wrote a customer review of Peaches' "Fatherfucker" album for amazon.com (you didn't really think that I was anything but a nerd, did you?) and was rejected! I'm pretty sure that it was because of some of the content (even though they actually display the "Fatherfucker" title on their site... whatever) but it might be because I indirectly "diss" some of the other customer reviews. Anyhow, since Amazon refused to let it see the light of day, I'll share it with y'all. Many have moved on since she first came out but I am so not over her.
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--5 STARS--

Sure, there is no “F**k The Pain Away” on the latest Peaches album but, quite seriously, how often does lightning strike twice in the same place peoples? Let’s just face it, FTPA was a magical moment in music history and special moments like this are often imitated but rarely, if ever, duplicated. The truth remains though that “Fatherf**ker” is a really solid, really great genre album and, as a whole, is probably even better than “Teaches”. There ain’t a bad track on the album and she even throws a little bit more punk into the mix. With gems like “Back It Up, Boys”, “Shake Yer D**”, and “Stuff Me Up” (among others), what’s not to like?

I’ll never quite understand how someone can buy this album and actually loathe it. It’s like “what exactly were you expectin’, princess?” Next thing I’ll hear is that Gravy Train!!!! isn’t the second coming. Peaches certainly isn’t for everyone but just because her music may not fit into a particular person’s musical palate doesn’t necessarily mean that it is bad. Hey, I’m not really into Pam Tillis (well, except for maybe that one song “Maybe It Was Memphis”) but I’m certainly not in any kind of position to say that her music sucks.

I have a sneaking suspicion that some scenesters out there won’t allow themselves to like this album no matter what because some have said that the “electrochrash/crap” movement has faded and because Peaches is no longer subversive enough to like. Well, I’m gonna let y’all in on a little secret... like an O.G. (Original Gangsta), I’m an O.H. (Original Hipster) and I say it is still OK to like Peaches... for the time being at least. Might as well trust me on this one ’cause I am sooo cool/hip/apathetic that homies pay a fee just to hang with me.

To The Music. Some may think Peaches and her music are silly and mundane. Well, on the surface, they most definitely are. However, if you look a little deeper you’ll see how pre-meditated and, dare I say it, intelligent the whole thing is. The Peaches look, in itself, challenges our notion of what is seen as sexy in our society. Many will listen to the music and imagine a Britney clone and are completely shocked (and some may even be revolted) when they get an eye-full of the enigma that is Peaches. This seems to me to be quite deliberate.

The lyrics challenge gender roles/boundaries and comment on our society’s hypocritical and Victorian-esque stance on SEX ----(e.g.., “it’s ok to imply and suggest and allow people to read in between the lines but if you are upfront about sex and address it directly with no pretenses... well, OH MY GOD, all hell’ll break loose and the world will come to an end!!!!). Also, the way that Peaches objectifies men in her art is, also in turn, a kind of commentary on the objectification of women that has pervaded rap music and rock n’ roll and- come to think of it- just about every other musical genre from each one’s inception. She’s just turning the tables on all y’all bee-yatches!

As for the bare beats... I am one that is under the belief that minimalism can actually serve to enhance art. Things tend to be too muddied nowadays anyway so I’m all for stripping down the music. Also, Peaches’ lo-fi bare beats (Those drums! That low, low bass!), although almost entirely produced electronically, have a sexy primordial sensibility to them that makes you feel all weird in your tummy and (to quote a friend) gets you all squishy in your boxer-briefs. Makes you want to dance too!

Oh yeah, I almost forgot! This enhanced CD also comes with 3 Peaches videos--Rock ‘N’ Roll, I’m The Kinda, and Tombstone, Baby-- the latter 2 of which are signature Peaches Super 8’s. Good Deal.

So, hipsters- in conclusion, I say let yourselves like “Fatherf**ker”! The O.H. gives y’all permission.

Saint JuneBug