“I Got Heaven” – Mannequin Pussy

Album: I Got Heaven

Artist: Mannequin Pussy

Year: 2024

Genre: Indie Rock, Punk Rock

Grade: A

The roaring voice of Mannequin Pussy’s lead singer Missy Dabice is perhaps the most versatile and unique weapon in rock music right now; her scream a violent hardcore catharsis that is controlled and melodic and pleasant to the ear; the antithesis of The Beach Boys’ beautiful harmonies, yet just as singular and distinctive. And just like Brian Wilson, Dabice knows when to and when not to use it to her band’s advantage: when she builds up to a stirring yell of “I’ve got a LOUD BARK, a DEEP BITE!” you can feel the emotion in your very soul.

So, yes, Mannequin Pussy has genuine punk rock aggression with a lead singer who knows how to harness it. But lots of bands possess that and have faded off into obscurity nonetheless. What separates this particular band from the rest is their tunefulness: ever since their self-titled debut in 2014 — one that featured songs called “Clit Eastwood” and “Pissdrinker” (not to mention the unmarketable name of the band itself) — Mannequin Pussy has been adept at combining confrontational aggression with undeniably pretty melodies and confessional vulnerability. Their fourth album, 2024’s I Got Heaven, is gorgeous and energetic, brash and bright, loud and lovely. It’s just as great as 2019’s Patience — maybe Mannequin Pussy’s best album yet?

I Got Heaven finds the band at their most balanced, with dreamy indie rock anthems sitting side-by-side with quick bursts of brilliant punk rock belligerence. In fact, the first five songs are as perfect a run as Mannequin Pussy has ever put together: Sleater-Kinney + Sonic Youth + Alvvays; ‘90s punk meets ‘80s alt meets 21^st century shoegazing; the perfect blend for rock in the 2020s. Even though songs like “Nothing Like” and “I Don’t Know You” find Mannequin Pussy at their most pop-oriented, the earworms they deliver can’t be denied.

With I Got Heaven, Mannequin Pussy have entered the upper echelon of modern music artists. Two Grade-A albums in a row, even though they’re five years apart, is an increasingly rare accomplishment these days. And, yes, I feel confident saying that this is their best album so far.

NOTES & CHORDS

• Every previous Mannequin Pussy album has slightly favored the punk side of their indie-punk equation. I Got Heaven, however, is their first release that fully swings the balance to indie. The noisiness and scruffiness are still there, but the best songs are the ones with the prettiest melodies. As stated, those first five are as great a start to any album in recent memory.

• Typical of Mannequin Pussy, they throw in some two-minutes-or-less abrasive punk rock anthems toward the end. Unfortunately, the rest of the album’s dominating indie vibe is so great that these particular songs disrupt the flow a little too noticeably, no matter how short they are. I’m not entirely sure if bassist Colins Regisford needs a vocal spotlight on every album.

• Just like Sleater-Kinney and the Ramones, Mannequin Pussy has always had a clean sound despite their lo-fi roots. Working with producer John Congleton, the instrumentation is clear and concise, even when pounding and thundering. The electric guitars provide a heavy wall of sound, but Congleton does a great job making the drums and bass stand out in the mix.

• Wonderfully offensive lyric that you’d expect from a band named Mannequin Pussy: “And what if Jesus himself ate my fucking snatch?”

• Delightfully cute verse that you’d never expect from a band named Mannequin Pussy: “I know four, fix, six, seven ways to get ahead/But I wouldn’t know how to get you into my bed/There are three little words that I wish I had said/But I wouldn’t tell you/No I couldn’t tell you“

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