Lilith Left The Garden were given just ten days to make something for LOUD WOMEN compilation Volume 7 and, very sensibly, responded by going into full punk-rock mode.
The result is ‘Girl’s Pretty (LOUD WOMEN version)’, a gleefully queer rush of punk-rock flirtation built around one extremely uncomplicated truth: girls are pretty.
There is something wonderfully immediate about a song that refuses to overthink its premise. The lyrics bounce between blushing at punk shows, giggling over crushes and full-blown bi panic, with the chorus reducing the whole business of attraction to the sort of chant you can imagine an entire room yelling back at the band.
That communal feeling is baked into the recording itself. With barely a week and a half to pull everything together, Lilith Left The Garden recorded the instruments and vocals, then recruited family, friends and fans for backing vocals.
The band explain:
“We were invited to be on LOUD WOMEN CD compilation nr. 7, and with just 10 days to pull it together, we went full punk-rock mode. We quickly laid down vocals, added backing vocals from our family/friends/fans, plus LOUD WOMEN founder Cassie Fox, recorded all the instruments, mixed and mastered…and, finally, uploaded it to all streaming platforms! It’s loud. It’s flirty. It’s chaotic. It’s queer af. And yes…the girls ARE pretty!”
That slightly frantic origin story suits ‘Girl’s Pretty’ perfectly. This is not a song interested in polishing all the fun out of itself. Its charm is in the exuberance, the silliness and the absolute sincerity with which it celebrates queer attraction.
There is also something particularly fitting about a LOUD WOMEN compilation track being turned into a miniature community project. A song about falling for people at punk shows ends up populated by a gang of people shouting along together. Very efficient. Very DIY. Very LOUD WOMEN.
And the timing is excellent, because Lilith Left The Garden are playing LOUD WOMEN Fest London this Saturday at Rich Mix, where you can catch them on the Studio stage at 6pm.
So if you fancy hearing this particular strain of bi panic in person, now would be the time.
Listen to ‘Girl’s Pretty (LOUD WOMEN version)’ on Bandcamp.
Sometimes the girls really are just pretty.
