Whereas the preceding Lucky 88 closely recalled Sadie Dupuis’ Sad13 release, Slugger, the second to come from Speedy Ortiz’ forthcoming Twerp Verse full-length – entitled Lean In When I Suffer – hears the US four-piece return to more familiar turf. All punch-drunk guitar parts, robust bass and killer chorus therefore, it’s another bubblegummy glory (with, admittedly, a Tubeway Army-worthy synth hook intermittently mainlined into an anything-but-twerpy verse here, and/ or an outro there). Making it all the more so, though, is Dupuis’ offsetting the sweetness with sharp, incisive lyrics concerning that less-than-glorious modern-day propensity to stare down into the deep blues of a smartphone screen, instead of facing up to certain “problematic tendencies.” And such is Speedy Ortiz’ prepossessing directness, that Lean In When I Suffer hits the spot with the kind of acuteness which precious few songwriters possess…
Twerp Verse is available from April 27th via Carpark Records.