Suzie True has an intimate and personal sound that sprouted from the purest source of all: friendship. 2018 saw bassist/singer Lexi McCoy by herself, crafting a handful of breezy songs that became the first EP under the nameSuzie True, entitledNothing to You. Companionship in the form of a full band emerged, however, when she and drummer Sarah Pineapple met guitarist G Leonardo in La Puente, CA’s beloved and now defunct show space, Bridgetown DIY. From then,Suzie Truewas a trio, and their first songs as such, the 2020 LPSaddest Girl At The Party, was released through Los Angeles labelGet Better Records.
Suzie True’s artistic identity has established itself as an exploration of modern young, femme experience through slice-of-life lyricism and call-and-response melody backed by warm and inviting indie rock-style instrumentals that are all inspired, “from Britney Spears, Hole, and anything off the Tony Hawk Pro Skater soundtracks.”Suzie True’s lyricism, which primarily covers the different feelings and life-lessons brought by relationships romantic and platonic, is the core of the bands overall presence and relatability. They’re self-described as “if The Powerpuff Girls started a Blink-182 cover band,” andSaddest Girl At The Party truly offers the kind of rock music for young listeners who like staring at the ceiling in silence together, reminiscing about memories of warm days past, slow-dancing, or perhaps looking at someone from a distance and wishing that they were.Suzie True has a songwriting style that supports the lyricism completely without pretense, existing solely to move as a unit to support and sing along with the situations Lexi McCoy tells stories about. Put her way, “I like the contrast of pretty songs with a cute aesthetic, but with lyrics that are darker thematically.”
Sonically,Suzie True have taken a step forward with their newest single,Backburner, an ample offering that gives us an update as to where their heads have been. The song is an upbeat burst of energy that lyrically captures the excitement of courtship and is complemented by guitarist Leonardo’s extremely thick guitar tone and drummer Pineapple’s even and balanced division of both faster and more relaxed beat-keeping. Lexi McCoy’s vocals find a very comfortable middle in the song, her voice indebted to its own melody interplaying with the rest of the instrumentation.
Suzie True’scommitment to form and growth is its primary strength. When that form is catchy songs about the experience of what it is to love and be loved, its growth can only be a gift that will continue to give to anyone in touch with it.
Backburner, is the first offering of a session that shows the band clearly doubling down on the ease the band has relating to and creating with each other. This session, recorded on a “DIY setup” with their engineer/friend Alex Rogers at an Airbnb in Joshua Tree, CA, created their newest album,Sentimental Scum.
Their second album withGet Better Records,Sentimental Scumis as McCoy describes, “kinda all over the place, inspired by artists like Babes In Toyland, The Muffs, Jeff Rosenstock, Josie & The Pussycats, and anime theme music” with lyrical content on “sobriety, addiction, mental health, exploring queer identity, growing up, heartbreak, and LOOOoOoOoOvee.” With a mix handled byEm Foster (of the U.K. bandNervus) and a master byGet Betterco-ownerKoji Shiraki, the album will be a welcome and worthy addition in the catalogues of both band and label alike.
Suzie True is:
Lexi McCoy (Bass/vocals/lyrics)
G Leonardo (Guitar/vocals)
Sarah Pineapple (Drums)
