Gymshorts makes a tough call on consequential "DUI IUD"
Gymshorts’ puckish brand of DIY punk has earned Sarah Greenwell an international following on the irresistible authenticity of her rascally persona and inherent troublemaker charm. “DUI IUD,” the second single from Gymshorts’ upcoming LP That’s A Lot Of Milk!, continues to develop beyond Greenwell’s prankster origins, tackling personal themes and bigger concepts while stoking the flames of an inextinguishably rebellious spirit.
Opening with a chunky, punked-up riff Gymshorts lays the foundation for “DUI IUD” in familiar territory, pulling in elements of surfy reverb and weighty, downtuned guitar to accent the track’s narrative arc at key moments with an energetic dynamism.
Thematically, “DUI IUD” represents a departure from the more juvenile subject matter of Gymshorts’ established catalog. Like the preceding single “PMDD,” Greenwell is breaking down the barriers that separate the art from the artist and leveraging her position to address personal topics with unvarnished frankness. “DUI IUD” presents a complex perspective on the realities of female sexuality and the draconian institutions that seek to manipulate and exert control over women’s bodies and individual autonomy.
In typical Gymshorts fashion there is a playful absurdity that runs throughout “DUI IUD,” but like the juxtaposition between the sunny surf guitar on the chorus and the chugging, doomy riffs on the back half of the track, Greenwell is playing to her strengths as a songwriter. Burrowing into the space between silly and deeply serious, Greenwell calls attention to institutional injustices that demand women make impossibly tough decisions in a purposefully designed Kobayashi Maru. Forced abstinence? Painful infections? Unwanted pregnancy? Or a DUI on the way to the clinic? It’s a no-win scenario from every angle, but Gymshorts never say die - pushing ahead with unflappable verve and stick-it-to-The-Man resilience that refuses to submit no matter the consequences.
That’s A Lot Of Milk! is available on limited vinyl via Bandcamp and Freeman Street Records. Follow Gymshorts on Instagram.
Upcoming Shows
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