American punk and indie-rock band Mannequin Pussy’s “I Got Heaven,” is the band’s broadest, most versatile record yet, ranging from agreeable, pop-influenced relationship songs to hardcore punk moments. Formed in 2010, the American punk and indie-rock group is renowned for its ferocious, yet oddly soothing, sound.
The not-so-secret ingredient to Mannequin Pussy’s charging, riotous punk has always been songwriter Marisa Dabice’s voice. It fluctuates seamlessly between different vocal styles on the album, reflecting its versatility. Initially describing herself on the track “Loud Bark” as having a “loud bark / deep bite,” she repeats the line and switches vocal styles, going from being airy and tense to sarcastic and spoken, until finally landing on a shout that’s roaring and unflinching.
These stylistic jumps, all under the broad umbrella of punk, are nothing new for fans of the Philadelphia band. Their last album, 2019’s extraordinary “Patience,” was a record of emancipation, discussing a toxic relationship with the type of visceral catharsis that comes along with ripping up old pictures and fully deleting someone’s number.
Thankfully, “I Got Heaven” isn’t short on whirlwind, guttural punk songs. Produced by indie-rock mainstay John Congleton, the album’s hardcore moments are leaner than ever before, with cracking snare drums, arena-ready fuzz bass and distorted gang vocals. But the hyperactive, constantly repositioning son “OK? OK! OK? OK!” takes advantage of Dabice’s range, pitting her valley girl-inspired vocals against bassist Colins Regisford’s pissed-off screams, as though the two were fighting to be heard over their instruments.
The first verse of “Of Her” features a similar sonic backdrop, which starts with a groove similar to Nine Inch Nails’ “March of the Pigs” and applies it in a lovely ode to Dabice’s mom. “I Got Heaven” succeeds the most in moments that locate the sentimentalism in a song that sounds like it could tear your head off. “I was born of her fire / her sacrifices,” Dabice sings, never allowing the song to drop below 150 beats per minute.
“I Got Heaven” peaks with the title-track, a gung-ho opener that finds Dabice conquering a crisis of faith. Before soaring into a chorus of classic rock synths and sweet harmonies, she confronts the shame that can accompany deeply religious upbringings, shouting that “It is vileness wrapped up / and disguised as happy endings.” Jumping between crushing, brutal verses and one of the most unforgettable hooks Dabice has ever written, “I Got Heaven” might be Mannequin Pussy’s best song yet.
An infectious, semi-explosive rock song is on par for the course for Mannequin Pussy. On “Softly,” a “N O D R E A M” Jeff Rosenstock-esque melody soundtracks a pleading, overwhelming love song. “Split Me Open” builds into a barn-burning closer that splits the difference. Where the previous album “Patience” ended with a sense of excitement about falling in love again, this album wraps up with a song called “Split Me Open,” during which Dabice sings “Oh, it’s not the time / Oh, it’s not the place.”
That uncertainty appears earlier on “I Don’t Know You,” a fluttering, nervous acoustic ballad. In a recent article from Paste Magazine, writer Devon Chodzin described “I Don’t Know You” as “the first Mannequin Pussy song that one could call elegant.” Even as it gears up for distorted guitars and propulsive energy, hesitancy is the organizing structure of the song with the brushed drums and sparking synths.
With detours like this, “I Got Heaven” remains thrilling as a snapshot of growth and change for Mannequin Pussy, one of the best punk bands working.
Contact Ethan Beck at [email protected].
