Suffering Jukebox

This morning's episode features an in-studio interview with Taylor from local noise-rock band Feral Fatigue. Recently, Feral Fatigue dropped their second release, the double A-side Digger b/w Barb Dwyer. Find out more about Feral Fatigue -and purchase their music- via https://feralfatigue.bandcamp.com/

Nick's Pick of the Week is Ethel Cain's Perverts EP. You can hear the full EP here https://soundcloud.com/mothercain/sets/perverts-2 and my review can be read below.

Ethel Cain: Perverts (Daughters Of Cain)

Released January 8th 2025

Following the release of her 2023 album, Preacher’s Daughter, Ethel Cain —the musical nom de plume of multi-disciplinary artist Hayden Silas Anhedönia— exploded into the mainstream. Critically lauded and rapturously received by an ever expanding and borderline obsessive fanbase, Preacher’s Daughter caused Cain’s star to rise almost as rapidly as her audience grew. Overnight she found herself the head of an almost literal cult of devotees who pored over her lyrics, music videos and social media posts seeking solace, acceptance and meaning.

Perverts, Cain’s ninety-minute follow up to Preachers Daughter, has been alternately referred to as  a project or a long EP; anything but an album. Primarily comprised of long, ambient drone pieces, its release was preceded by The Consequence Of Audience, a short story written in Biblical style and a thinly veiled allegory for Cain’s experience of stardom. Early reviews described the record as confrontational and reactionary, musing whether it was a deliberate attempt to alienate and obliterate a fanbase that she had come to resent. 

Similarities abound to Lou Reed’s misunderstood masterpiece, 1974’s Metal Machine Music. Both have a similar runtime and are drastically different in style to each artist’s previous releases, but, most importantly, each could be interpreted as an agitational response to the actions and expectations of their fans. Despite rumours to the contrary, Reed always insisted that Metal Machine Music was a serious artistic statement and not the joke it was treated as upon release. Similarly, when asked if Perverts was a deliberate push to isolate herself from her audience, Cain responded, “No, I just really like drone music and wanted to make some.” It is also clear from the start of the first and title track, Perverts, that Cain is not just making noise for noise’s sake. It —and the EP’s other drone tracks— demonstrates a level of control and sense of nuance from an artist who knows exactly what they are doing.

Few of the nine tracks contained on Perverts could be considered songs in the traditional sense, Punish and Amber Waves are the two most obvious examples, the former being the EP’s only single and the latter its twelve-minute closer. Arguments could be made for Vacillator and Onanist, but even those stray so far into ambient territory, with whispered vocals and guitars distorted beyond all recognition, turning anything once resembling a tune into little more than an afterthought.  

It is too soon to tell what effect Perverts will have on Cain’s established and fanatical fan base. Undoubtedly, many will hate it, while others will pretend not to hate it for fear of forsaking their idol. Some, enamoured by its foreignness, will be inspired to seek out music that is stranger still. Perverts is a complex and compelling record that rewards those with the courage to endure. If her intent was to challenge, Cain has certainly succeeded.

Nick Stephan

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