With a plethora of female and non-binary voices coming out of the woodwork throughout the nation, the modern riot grrrl scene is going strong amidst this time of insecurity within the self-made music community. Maryland’s rock scene puts their name in the game with the fresh young voice of Ashrita Kumar and her punk band Pinkshift. With their most recent release, the band has only three songs under their belt, but they’ve already proven themselves to be worth keeping an eye on. Anticipating their debut EP, the new single “I’m Gonna Tell My Therapist On You,” sets expectations high for what’s to come next.
The most striking feature of Pinkshift’s new single is the attention to detail within the production quality. It’s rare in this scene to hear such clean, full and detailed mixing from such a young band. The glitzy sonic atmosphere of “I’m Gonna Tell My Therapist On You” has a quality comparable to My Chemical Romance. Each listen brings a new layer to light – from background vocals to competing guitar channels and percussive claps. The song is absolutely packed to the brim with a punchy, almost cartoon-like, energy to have you bouncing off the walls.
This grand panoramic soundscape compliments Ashrita’s powerful wailing in this ode to the chaos of the mental health system. Not only is her vocal control and range more than impressive at this level in her career but her voice outmatches many others in this genre of music. It’s strong, full and composed yet she lets emotion show through while belting out the contagiously bouncy chorus. Struggles with mental health are thematically popular in punk music. In this track, Pinkshift focuses their anger around the failures of the healthcare system and the plethora of stress added to people seeking help within the maze of doctors and therapists. The pushing and pulling of the guitars, circus music, and layering of vocals mimics the stress of the situation.
Anyone looking for a classically angst-filled track will be more than satisfied with Pinkshift’s new single as it “kicks your ass through the door.” Packed full of youthful energy, they’re worthy of your best punk playlist. Be sure to keep an eye on their activity as they prepare to release their first EP.
Listen here:
