New Music: Charm School – Scene Queen

LA-based Charm School get global on the no-holds-barred takedown of Scene Queen, a raw kiss-off song.

Don’t be so vain as to think this song is about you, cos trust me, it won’t be a good look. The pure and honest distaste of the lyrics would make a docker blush, but possibly not a scene queen, given their inability to see beyond their own needs.

But for the rest of us, Scene Queen is a brilliant pen portrait of a type of person we all know: sharp steel and self-interest under a pleasant veneer.

Andrew Sellers (aka Andrew Charm) and his bandmates strip away any pretence on the song; its take on post-punk is brutally intense. Pummelling percussion, furious riffs, and fiery vocals lead me to think this sound comes from the heart, and might be about a particular person. Hey, we all know someone that fits the bill.

If you like Gurriers, IDLES, and Amyl and the Sniffers, hold the fuck-you fierceness of Scene Queen close, and maybe share it with a not-so-special person.

The song features on Schadenfreude Ploy, the new EP from Charm School, which you can pick up on Bandcamp in cassette format. Connect with Charm School on their Instagram for all the latest band news, including the EP release party.