Mish Way of White Lung (photo: Sunny Martini)
The tag “outspoken” has followed White Lung vocalist Mish Way around since the band formed in the mid-2000s. Often, to us over here at Rice and Bread, “outspoken” just means “punk as fuck.” We say what we feel, we feel what we say, and that seems to be the approach Way takes on our latest Blindfold Test, which is pretty rad in our books. Plus, we got to introduce her to recent Album Club inductees Run the Jewels, so there’s that… Take it away, Mish.
SONG #1
Way: I think I would like this a lot better if the production wasn’t so good. It makes it cheesy. Straightforward lyrics make me uncomfortable, even when Donita Sparks would do it, and I love L7. So… also, I am on Xanax, so I’m gonna be ultra nice and calm.
The reveal: War on Women - “YouTube Comments” from War on Women (Bridge Nine Records)
Way: People who leave comments on YouTube videos are turbo nerds and should not be given the time of day. I hate that this girl let some anonymous commenter cowarding behind a screen name bother her enough to inspire a whole song.
SONG #2
Way: This sounds like if the singer from Korn got his period and wrote a song about it.
The reveal: Raised Fist - “Flow” from From the North (Epitaph Records)
Way: Have you ever been to Korn Row in Bakersfield, CA?
SONG #3
Way: No. No. No. No. Just 20 seconds and I’m done.
The reveal: Cancer Bats - “True Zero” from Searching for Zero (Metal Blade Records)
Way: Whoops.
SONG #4
Way: When COC made later albums that kind of got all weird nu metal or whatever, this is like that (even though I still kinda secretly liked that), but with bad radio “alt” mixed in. I hate the chorus and the guy’s voice. Ew, that guttural scream that just sounds so… 2004. Like bad macho fuck truck rock.
The reveal: Make Do and Mend - “Ever Since” from Don’t Be Long (Rise Records)
Way: No reaction.
SONG #5
Way: I don’t mind this, but it’s because the previous two songs were so bad. It sounded like Ride for a second there… Ride mixed with Venom, and Venom thought they were shoegaze for a sec.
The reveal: Torche - “Undone” from Restarter (Relapse Records)
Way: This sounds so different than their other stuff. I couldn’t even tell. I love Jon from Torche. Last time I saw him it was Halloween in Florida in 2013. We were dancing and fell into the bar and broke a bunch of stuff.
SONG #6
Way: This sounds like Lykke Li before the chorus. I turned it off at the chorus.
The reveal: Royal Thunder - “Wake Up” from Crooked Doors (Relapse Records)
Way: Okay.
SONG #7
Way: Why is this band trying to make me hate music?
The reveal: Octaves - “Tom Petty Cash” from Caravels/Octaves Split (Bridge Nine Records/Topshelf Records)
Way: Nice pun.
SONG #8
Way: This man’s voice is nice. He just rhymed heroin with narrative, so that’s hilarious… oh wait… now a new guy is singing and he wants me to take my shirt off so I’m all, “Okay dude, let’s do this.” Wait, now he’s gone. “I love this chick, I must put my tongue in this. SHE GOT THAT DICK IN HER MOUTH ALL DAY.” Newsflash, guys: even if we had dicks in our mouths all day we would still get way more done than most of you cowards. I like the chick rapper; she wants a tongue in her ass and ain’t afraid to ask for it. “CLIT IN HIS MOUTH ALL DAY.” Wait, is this song called “Oral Sex is the New Motherhood: an Unpaid, Full-time Job”?
The reveal: Run the Jewels - “Love Again” from Run the Jewels 2 (Mass Appeal Records)
Way: Oh, that’s what this band is. I have been hearing about them forever. My baby sister is a big fan. I am honestly such a grandma. I don’t care about new music that much anymore. I got oversaturated by being a struggling music journalist for years, then the band. Now I just don’t ever want to write about new music. When I find a new band I like it’s because I saw them live on tour or whatever, you know? My hunt is over. “You must here the new Charli XCX!” Really? I must? Why? I’ll hear it when i hear it. And that was kind of what happened with this duo, so thank you.
White Lung‘s Deep Fantasy is out now on Domino Recording Company.
No Comments