Peel A Little Deeper takes rockabilly as its starting point, but The Bitter Lemons make it clear from the outset that they have no intention of stopping there. They blend ’50s rock ‘n’ roll, R&B, garage, blues, swing and a hint of psychobilly into a vibrant, raw sound that is far from purist. There’s twang, saxophone, piano, shuffling rhythms and rootsy riffs, alongside rough-edged guitars, modern production and a punk attitude.
Above all, these are songs made for dancing while tackling subjects that matter, and let’s face it, some things are easier to process when you can dance to them.
“Gas Lighter” opens with saxophone, piano and plenty of energy, turning the kind of emotional manipulation many of us will recognise into a direct, defiant chorus that calls the behaviour out for what it is. “Give Me the Keys” gives the instrumentation more prominence while exploring mistrust: that feeling that your partner is hiding something, so you ask direct questions and demand proof. Later, “Toxic Waste” slows the tempo to explore how hard it is to walk away from someone when you know they’re hurting you but still can’t quite let the relationship go.
While not strictly a concept album, it does follow a journey of sorts. At first there are doubts and damaging relationships; then comes disillusionment and, gradually, the desire to regain control. “My Time” puts it bluntly: stop giving your time to people who don’t deserve it. “B.N.O.C.” turns that idea into a high-school story of rejection and humiliation, but also follows a protagonist who eventually regains her confidence, as if to say: “Hey, I’m here, and I have the right to take up space.”
The presence of other voices adds further nuance. The male vocals on “Curds and Whey” and “Toxic Waste” also reinforce the album’s feminist message, showing that vulnerability, manipulation, dependency and toxic relationships aren’t experiences exclusive to women. Men can find themselves caught in those dynamics as well, recognise them and talk about them. Meanwhile, the cover of Nick Curran & The Lowlifes‘ “Kill My Baby” revisits a song about jealousy and control which, set against everything else the album explores, lands even more uncomfortably.
Musically, The Bitter Lemons draw on a wide range of influences: the neo-rockabilly of The Deltas, the grit of The Cramps, the power of Imelda May, the character of Wanda Jackson and the eclecticism of The Hillbilly Moon Explosion. “Highway” even slips into a road boogie with more than a hint of ZZ Top, while “B.N.O.C.” blends rockabilly, teen pop and garage without ever sounding forced.
Their cover of ABBA‘s “Slipping Through My Fingers” sums up their approach to neo-rockabilly rather neatly: they take a song that doesn’t belong to that genre and rebuild it in their own musical language.
That’s also the album’s most important quality. The Bitter Lemons don’t just champion an open-minded, non-purist approach to neo-rockabilly; they also want to create more space for women in a scene that remains heavily male-dominated. That idea reaches all the way to the artwork, packed with handwritten lyrics, hidden details and references such as The Little Book of Misogyny.
The title couldn’t be more fitting: Peel A Little Deeper wins you over with its rhythms and sheer urge to dance, but listen more closely and the lyrics have far more to say. You just have to peel back the first layer.
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