New Music: Gen and the Degenerates – Favourite Jumper

Agit-prop art-punk bop Favourite Jumper has many worthy targets and scores a bullseye with each one.

It’s not accurate to say Gen and the Degenerates are pushing propaganda – the track is a forthright and funky, a downright and sensual affirmation the rights of women, pushing back against erasure, especially those that identify as queer or bisexual.

Favourite Jumper isn’t a polemic, it’s fun with a purpose: vocalist Genevieve Glynn-Reeves takes us through some relationship scenarios, only needing to explain herself to anyone other than the person she is with, the lyrics popping like exploding candy from her mouth to your heart.

The lyrics shouldn’t be controversial, but as various UK political parties are seeking to push women back into the kitchen and queer people back in the closet, this delicious declaration of pride is important to accept and amplify. And we did say it’s a bop, right?

States vocalist Genevieve Glynn-Reeves, “Whenever the right wing is on the rise there is this puritanical pressure placed on women to be virtuous. Women are villainised for being overtly sexual and treated as if they don’t have agency or control over their own bodies.”

“We see this reflected in rhetoric around bisexual women settling down with men and almost relinquishing their queerness to try and feel safer. I think this is the perfect time to rebel against that and be as slutty and queer as possible.”

“And so, this is really just a fun party song of sorts, from the point of view of a bisexual person (guess what – it’s me), discussing previous experiences in a fun way, but also attempting to reconcile an honest and healthy relationship with a partner, with the totality of that sexuality and sexual history.”

The band support Hyphen on their UK tour over the next few weeks, including stop-offs in Leeds, Glasgow, Manchester, London, and Cardiff. For venue and ticket details, catch up with Gen and the Degenerates on Instagram. For streaming options for Favourite Jumper, just follow this link.

Header photo by Derek Bremner