“64 Women” is the new EP from Los Angeles’ Tarah Who? (read our spotlight interview with the band here). Released on International Women Day, it features 5 songs that draw from punk, rock, grunge and metal, all wrapped up in a package that’s succinctly sums up the essence of this band.
The title refers to an incident where singer Tarah Carpenter returned to the US from France in November 2016. US Immigration thought her visa was expired (it was not) so she had to spend the night in a Los Angeles immigration jail, where 64 women were already detained.
From the intense and tragic terrorist attack that inspired single “Numb Killer”, to the more intimate song “Hurt”, to the affirmative “Umbilicus”, a rejection of men still stuck in their mother’s skirts, this EP is a tight energetic ride. It’s emotionally raw, open, angry and passionate.
The songs are short but pack a punch. Tarah’s angry vocals can turn to vulnerable when necessary, and her charisma reaches through the speakers to grab your attention. It’d be easy to dismiss the music as ‘angry punk rock’, but it’s more nuanced than it seems at first listen. The EP sounds great, and is in my opinion the best thing the band has done so far. Turn it up!
He's also a regular contributor at the excellent news site Montreal Rampage
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