They say experience counts for a lot, and Canadian band Taxi Girls make that clear on Static, a debut album that comes out swinging and knows exactly what it wants to be. Formed in Montreal in 2022, they arrive at their first full-length with a burst of energy and a set of songs that deal candidly with resilience, mental health, postpartum depression, loss, self-imposed pressure and heartbreak. It all comes from a feminist perspective, but also from a deeply rock’n’roll belief that, after the storm, some kind of calm can still arrive.
What makes Static work so well is its balance between grit and clarity. Taxi Girls bring crunchy guitars, melodic basslines, solid drumming and vocals that can move from raw edge to pop hook without losing character. There is garage punk, power pop, new wave, ’90s punk rock and party hard rock here, but the production keeps the whole thing fresh and full of personality. The guitars have punch, the mix breathes and the choruses land fast, yet the album never loses the rawness that gives it its character. It sounds direct and accessible, aggressive when it needs to be, and fun without losing its emotional weight.
Opener “Say It!” makes that clear from the first second: straight-ahead garage punk, fun and hugely effective, with a hint of early-2000s alternative rock, raspy vocals and a massive chorus, somewhere between The Donnas and NOBRO. From there, the album opens up without losing momentum. “Try Harder” kicks off with a Hole-like riot grrrl pulse, thick but melodic guitars and a Veruca Salt-style bassline, while the lyrics twist the idea of “making lemonade” from life’s lemons into an image of exhaustion and self-imposed pressure: keeping on trying does not always mean you are okay.
That balance between pop melody and gritty distortion also drives “Auto-Hysterics”, a noisy, bright and catchy piece of ’90s power pop-punk. Taxi Girls push forward with energy, even as the lyrics keep circling what has been left behind. The idea opens up further on “Midnight Mixtape”, which brings a brighter, more melancholic sound: a song of night drives, escape and a mixtape acting as temporary refuge. With guitars that blend clarity, fuzz and melancholy, the track recalls the way The Muffs could bring together noise, melody and heart.
When Taxi Girls get heavier, the album gains another dimension. “Kill Your Darlings” is built on rougher, weightier guitars that push the song into dirty, direct grunge-punk territory. The vocals are cold, angry and sarcastic, very much in the spirit of L7, although the body of the track leans more towards classic punk rock’n’roll than pure riot grrrl. Lyrically, it turns the phrase “kill your darlings” into something more personal: breaking cycles, letting go of what hurts, and facing the fact that change is often the hardest part. “Don’t Leave Me Hanging”, meanwhile, recaptures the raw charm of direct garage punk/power pop: a song with nerve, a clear melody and the kind of urgency that makes everything feel on the edge.
The album’s brighter side comes through on “Secret Handshake”, perhaps one of its most rewarding tracks. It blends new wave, power pop and party hard rock, with powerful guitars, a bassline that holds the song together and a simple but highly effective chorus. It has that Donnas-like sense that everything is designed to sound cool, direct and effortless, but also a melodic sparkle that may bring to mind The Go-Go’s or even The Bangles.
Closer “Other Heart” lowers the voltage without losing personality. It is a song of restrained, worn-out emotion: melodic, slightly ghostly and closer to the tension of Sleater-Kinney or the oblique vulnerability of The Breeders than to the punk burst of the opening track. After so much friction, sarcasm, anxiety and movement, Taxi Girls recognise that some goodbyes do not come with a full stop, and that part of what was lived still lingers.
Ultimately, Static wins you over with the mix of energy and emotional depth that runs through the whole album. Taxi Girls sound direct, catchy and raw when they need to, but beneath the choruses there is weariness, loss, attachments that are hard to let go of and a real desire to keep moving forward. Making lemonade out of life’s lemons is not always pretty, but here it sounds damn good. After releasing what may well be one of the best garage punk/power pop albums of the year, all that is left is to hope they come through your town soon, so you can experience it live.
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