Recommended Tracks: “AHHHH!”, “Miss Your Birthday”
Artists You May Like: Pale Waves, Eliza & The Delusionals, Wolf Alice
Realizing that unapologetic punk rock music was the way to release their pent-up teenage angst, Australian band Teen Jesus and the Jean Teasers came together in high school and started creating attention-grabbing songs. Pretty soon, they were playing huge festivals like BIGSOUND and Laneway and supporting some of Australia’s best such as WAAX and Alex Lahey. Now a few years in, the band is busy merging Riot Grrrl-era energy with 2022 swag, releasing fiery singles that prove that they are not only the girls to watch, but also the band to watch. With the release of their debut EP, Pretty Good For A Girl Band, Teen Jesus and the Jean Teasers give us a collection of tracks that tell us who they are and what they stand for, refusing to accept anyone’s opinions but their own.
On the EP, Teen Jesus and the Jean Teasers unravel some relationship drama, noting that these relationships do not necessarily have to be end game. Through the pleasing melodies and punk rock attitude of “AHHHH!” for instance, we hear about that urge of wanting to stay with somebody who you know very well, but knowing that it is best to finally move on from this person. The issues are just as complicated on “Bull Dragon,” as we learn about a one-sided situation. With lyrics like, “You kinda like me / But you don’t like me” and “I try to impress you every day / You still scream and shout my name / In the most offensive way,” it is clear that this relationship is going nowhere. By closing with, “I don’t need you anyway,” the track ends with some dignity, and we know that this is not a loss.
Of course, the band also share their views on adulthood and people who underestimate them, disclosing that they will not be held back or held down. On “Up To Summit,” we hear about someone who has a problem with stepping up, letting “cups build up beside the sink” and standing around while “paint is chipping off the walls.” As they point out how this person is losing touch with reality, Teen Jesus and the Jean Teasers are also expressing their boss-like mentality; unlike who they describe, they are perfectly fine with taking care of business themselves. This independent spirit comes through again on “Miss Your Birthday,” which touches on that desperate need to move out of your parents’ house, but not having the resources to do so. One of the more telling tracks on the EP, however, is “Girl Sports,” which sums up the defiant spirit of the band. Clapping back at people who only see them as a “girl band” or a “chick band,” Teen Jesus and the Jean Teasers state, “What do you get from this? / Do you feel so big and tough behind closed doors?” and brush off those deductive comments.
All in all, Pretty Good For A Girl Band is an honest and assertive EP that puts an end to questions or conversations concerning Teen Jesus and the Jean Teasers’ role in the music world. It is hard not to get caught up in the energy that the band puts forth on this project, as the songs have a way of taking you away with them. From the direct lyrics to the relentless rhythms and dynamic vocals, the EP presents a sound that Teen Jesus and the Jean Teasers are proud to adopt as their own, even if it is a sound not widely accepted by everyone. In the end, the group is more than “a girl band,” and they are ready to do whatever it takes to change this dated concept for good.
You can listen to Pretty Good For A Girl Band on platforms like Spotify, SoundCloud, and Apple Music.
Keep up with Teen Jesus and the Jean Teasers: Instagram // Facebook // Twitter // YouTube // Website
