Following up on their first two EPs, 2021’s Pornsick and 2022’s Not All Men, Femegades are back with a new, hard-hitting EP titled Sex Robots. Both lyrically and musically, the EP calls to mind the riot grrrl movement of the early 90s and, as such, offers a stinging critique of the male gaze as well as the casual misogyny of contemporary culture.

Yet for all its rage and social awareness, Sex Robots presents an incredibly listener-friendly experience. The performances are tight, the production is clean, and the songs come across, at least initially, less as piquant social critique than as catchy, crunchy, straight-ahead rock’n’roll. Which is a good thing in my book—the kind of Trojan Horse that gets the medicine down before anyone even suspects they’re sick in the first place.

In this respect, the EP’s third track, “No Sex Robots,” is particularly strong. A chugging bass line, blistering guitars, heavy drums and a searing vocal (not to mention an incredibly dynamic arrangement) belie the band’s cogent interrogating of the notion that “there’s no victim, there’s no suffering” when the object of one’s affection is in fact and quite literally an object. Also noteworthy is the EP’s closer, “Depleted,” whose buzzsaw guitar riffs and jackhammer drums combine to create the impression that this just might be the second coming of Elastica.

I’m also struck by the subtle wordplay in the lyrics of Sex Robots. Take for example, “Toolish,” in which everything hinges on the phrase “you took me away.” At first it comes across as a good thing: young lovers falling for each other, taking each other away to someplace exotic, perhaps, or at least away from the stress and drear of daily life. But then there’s that other interpretation: you erased me. Once that reality sets in, the track takes a darker, cautionary edge.

Altogether Sex Robots is a smart, slick EP that takes aim at the objectification of women and deconstructs it one myth at a time. That they do it without ever sounding preachy or condescending makes the trick all the more remarkable.

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About the Writer:

At any moment on any given day, you can find Marc Schuster engaging in any number of activities: assembling his weekly radio show, interviewing musicians for his blog, laying down drum tracks for various artists, rehearsing for the next show with Philadelphia-based power-pop band Scoopski (in which he plays bass), recording music for his own wide-ranging projects (solo and otherwise), experimenting with film and animation, or designing album covers and concert posters for fellow musicians. On top of all that, he’s full-time college professor with a healthy catalog of publications to his name, including a book on the Beach Boys’ Holland album and an illustrated children’s book titled “Frankie Lumlit’s Janky Drumkit.” Our beloved host of the Tweetcore Radio Hour here on AMS Radio is one to keep busy. Learn more about him and connect online:

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notes from the editor:

When I first listened to Femegades’ new EP, I was instantly hooked right in from the melody alone. The ethos, concept, the crunchy guitarwork, and all that came with it after listening all the way through made it a thousand times better for me. I was eager to have them featured here on the AMS Radio blog. My personal favorite on the EP is what I consider more or less to be the title track, “No Sex Robots.” Their sound reminds me of an old indie band near and dear to my heart called Artificial Joy Club,and I love that. Hear Femegades and many more kick ass independent artists on these AMS Radio Playlists: “Indie Archives 3,” “The Bullpen 200 Part Duex,” and “AMS Radio Blog” playlists.

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