Potty Mouth is a rock trio that formed in Massachusetts when bassist Ally Einbender and drummer Victoria Mandanas both attended Smith College. With impressive alumni of Smith including Gloria Steinem, Sylvia Plath and many congresswomen, the entirely female group had no difficulty finding strong women to be inspired by. Einbender and Mandanas met local guitarist and singer Abby Weems, and the three quickly cemented themselves into the northeastern punk scene.
Their sound has traveled to the West Coast as they are now based in LA. Potty Mouth is continuing to make music as a gritty and bright alternative band, and they recently released their single “Starry Eyes,” as a part of their latest album Snafu, which was released on March 1, 2019. “Starry Eyes” is a song beautifully clouded in nostalgia, dreamy vocals and dreary meanings, described by the band as an “anti-love song.”
“Starry Eyes” opens with both soft strumming and soft vocals. The lyrics lament about mistakenly becoming vulnerable. In the beginning, the song itself seems somewhat reluctant to truly open up musically, which is similar to the singer’s tale of a guarded existence. The song shifts into a minor, with a chorus of “ah”s. Lyrics like “Looks like I f****** up ‘cause I let you fall in love/ And I let me fall in love/ Even though I shouldn’t’ve…” make the singer’s feelings of regret and rage very clear.
The latter portion of the song moves into a more classically punk sound with an aggressive take on the previously light sound to the song. The song then pushes into more intense guitar and percussion, with chimes punctuating the phrase “starry eyes.” With lyrics like “I’ve been doomed since the day that I met you…” the band doesn’t hide the message of regretting wasting time, opening up and getting attached. “Starry Eyes” sings of regrets, people pushed away and general annoyance.
“Starry Eyes” continues on with its sort of sad, sort of angry lyrics. The song is dripping with a sensation of early 2000’s nostalgia. In fact, the song sounds as though it’s the punk sister of Britney Spears’ 2000 hit “Oops I Did It Again.” “Starry Eyes” makes one feel as though they’re in an early 2000s teen chick flick, smiling big bright glittery lip gloss coated smiles, smearing on eyeshadow and rocking out.
Be sure to stream “Starry Eyes”on Spotify, Bandcamp and their website. You can also listen to their latest album “Snafu” out everywhere March 1, 2019.
Featured Image Credit via the official “Starry Eyes” music video
