Label: Royal Mountain Records
Released: 3rd September 2021
Rating: ★★★
Bad Waitress might seem like riot grrrl reincarnated for Gen Z, but they are much more than that.
The Toronto outfit’s debut album is intriguing; reminiscing on prog, post punk and 90s post hardcore, with an obnoxious 00s pop punk attitude thrown in for good measure. It’s incredibly saturated and brazen, led by vocals so raspy they crack as they purge.
There are points where tracks on the album frustratingly seem indistinguishable from each other, as well as predictable. Take ‘Strawberry Milkshake’, which falls victim to the cliche of contrasting disarming music with overly provocative lyrics.
Despite the hitches though, the band have made an album that is objectively impressive and impassioned. Their talents and zeal do feel authentic; the stripped back and disjointed ‘Delusions of Grandeur’, alongside visceral album closer ‘Restless Body’ prove the four piece as a force to be reckoned with – albeit a bit green.
