On Patti Cakes new EP, singer/songwriter Kritty Uranowski explores the intersection between 60s girl groups and 90s Riot grrrl. But while the first track, When I Was Yr Age, might boast the catchiest chorus ever written around the term male gaze, the lyrics are less punk politics and more often lighthearted and sometimes silly, like the ode to the ghost cat who lives next door, and the song about helping Lindsay Lohan learn how to love herself.
Its no surprise that Uranowskis background is in theatre and film, given her appetite for hamming it up and her extroverted, confident singing. Unlike many girl group revival acts, she belts out her lines with rich country-soul tone, and the band rocks out with just as much abandon. Hooks pack every song, and the recording successfully captures a live energy. The occasional goofy qualities wont be for everyone, but others will find the abundance of fun refreshing.
Top track: Making Tapes
Patti Cake play the Velvet Underground Thursday (August 13).