ALBUM REVIEW – Isabella Martins
Kaurna/Adelaide’s pop-punk duo Teenage Joans have released their long awaited debut album, The Rot That Grows Inside My Chest. The release invites listeners in to rage, cry and bang their heads along to some really powerful songs showcasing their abilities.
Opening up with eery/hospital background noise, as the song entails. Hospital Bed feels like this would play out in a hospital scene within a movie/tv show. Kick halfway through, bringing up the intensity of the song. A link to lead vocalist Cahli Blakers social media handles, Honey (And Other Sweet Things) helps bring back to life the 2000’s pop-punk scene. The album then leads to the first single we were given Superglue, Teenage Joans displayed this track on their 2022 tour and the crowd loved it, the studio version matching the same presence as it is hearing it live. Yoke gives a taste into Tahlia Borg, vocals and drummer of Teenage Joans, taking more initiative as vocalist, sharing equal parts with Blakers and giving a sense of laughter throughout.
Candy Apple is a more pop approach that leaves you wanting more, especially during the bridge section of this song, a never ending sweet tooth episode. President sees analogies of car sickness, sweeet fruit with stuck-up people and providing the pop-punk drive. The album is brought to a moree mellow vibe with Sweet Things Rot being the interlude, following the same vocal style as the introduction to album, Hospital Bed.
Ruby Doomsday is the longing for that one love to return song that you need, following all themes of the album and Teenage Joans vibes to date. Dentist, keeping in theme with sugar and food related terminology commonly found in Blakers and Borg songs, talking about being sickly sweet for someone. Money, solemnly bringing the heartbreak feelings and describing themselves in words, pulling at the strings is what is felt.
Tennis Skirt kicks you back into heavier pop-punk after a solemn moment, a song about the annoying feeling like you have to change because a partner is stuck with a different idea of you in their head, and how you really should bee allowed to be yourself. 5 Things I Can Taste was the last single released before this album came out and kicks off with some synth-like guitar line and edge that drives throughout the whole song. Lastly, we are left with Kaleidoscopes, a more stripped back kind of song with beautifull blend of both Cahli and Thalia’s vocals, it’s a send-off song to tie everything up, featuring some strings that just push the song over the edge.
Teenage Joans have perfected their debut album The Rot That Grows Inside My Chest. It is clear that thought has gone into the lyrics, melody and harmony, as well as the overarching theme and artwork that goes along as a visualisation of the songs. The Adelaide duo are definitely a wonder and creative force to be on the lookout for bigger things.
