Album Review
Speedy Ortiz - Twerp Verse
4 StarsSuccinct, wry, and in tune with its context, there’s plenty to unpick.
Speedy Ortiz have always been a band with an established knack for turning the personal political, presenting cutting social dissections through the lens of kaleidoscopic, surreal worlds. New album ‘Twerp Verse’ is every bit as fantastical, too; this time through its deft manipulation of language.
Approaching her lyricism like a guest (or twerp) verse across the entire record, Sadie Dupuis piles in the witty linguistic tricks like her time could be up at any second; bizarre flips of familiar idioms and peculiar peeks of complex imagery with a poetic bent shaping the entire creation. The result of a re-think (Speedy binned an album’s worth of “lovey-dovey” songwriting) a stand-out comes from ‘Villain’, written early on in proceedings. “I wanna know what kind of porn you like,” coos the mocking hook, belittling a strange man asking unsolicited, invasive questions as you attempt to get on with your day.
Though the majority of ‘Twerp Verse’ was written after Sad13’s solo debut ‘Slugger’, it’s easy to spot the creative similarities between the two, and the result is a sharpening of Speedy Ortiz’s axe to grind. Succinct, wry, and in tune with its context, there’s plenty to unpick, here.
Read More
DIY’s 2024 Reading List
As chosen by a bunch of bookworm DIY regulars, including The Last Dinner Party, Bob Vylan, Big Joanie and more.
6th January 2024, 10:00am
Speedy Ortiz: Down The Rabbit Hole
Rooted in long-buried childhood trauma, but buoyed by a band more confident and together than ever, Speedy Ortiz’s newest - ‘Rabbit Rabbit’ - is laying all of Sadie Dupuis’ cards on the table.
14th September 2023, 4:00pm
James Blake is on the cover of DIY’s September 2023 issue!
Our new issue also features Romy, Marika Hackman, yeule, Speedy Ortiz and loads more.
4th September 2023, 5:00pm
Speedy Ortiz - Rabbit Rabbit
4 Stars
Their most cathartic move yet.
30th August 2023, 7:57am
With Bob Vylan, St Vincent, girl in red, Lizzy McAlpine and more.