Manically Itemized Explosion
Kiss Off - Violent Femmes (Blast From the Past Tuesday)
Dude, what kind of musical witchcraft do Violent Femmes put in their songs to make them so addictive? I’ve heard their tracks for years now thanks to my Mom, who would jam out to them in the car all the time. However, none of their tunes ever stuck with me the way “Kiss Off” has, and that’s what I’m here today to unpack.
Violent Femmes have this really wild essence, an ear-catching cross of a socially awkward teenager’s emotions with the confidence of a seasoned punk rock performer. They make the exact type of music that is the most fun to learn every word and jump around singing to at any time of day. “Kiss Off” in particular has the type of lyrics and intonation that vary wildly, making it even more enjoyable to emulate. It starts off with quietly intense guitar, fast and hard strumming accompanying vocals that are simultaneously desperate and defeated. The quick crescendo that transitions into the first chorus is pure magic, a moment that, when combined with the marching-band precision of the snare, blows my mind every single time.
Perhaps the most iconic part of the song (apart from the spaced-out “I hope you know that this will go down on your per-ma-nent record”) is the manically itemized explosion of a list that comes just past halfway through the tune. You got this crazy slap-bass style moment where it sounds like the instrument is literally being scrubbed within an inch of its life, only for a quick chord to strip it all down low with individually picked notes and the steady brushing of the snare. Certainly makes way for what’s to come! Darkness of the message aside, the list sequence is definitely in my top musical moments, with the tumbling thought process feel of the lyrics and the raw power of the final “everything everything everything EVERYTHING”. While that’s a pretty darn great part of the song, they certainly end strong (hey that rhymes!) with a single power chord that lets the reality of what you just heard sink in before your next listen.
“Kiss Off” is a great one, an energy-packed three minutes that I feel only gets better with each listen. Its just one example of Violent Femmes’ ridiculously great musicianship, and one that I think needs to be appreciated a million more times than it already is. But hey, making a great songs isn’t out of the ordinary for them. Violent Femmes do it all the time!
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