When I first listened to “Tokyo,” I thought I had found a yet-to-be discovered girl group from the 1980s. The synth track and its vibrant electronic sound would be at home on a playlist packed with David Bowie, Zappa, and Madonna.
TEEN’s songs are also chock full of empowering lyrics that echo the modern female, with topics like aging, sexuality, spiritually, and the definition womanhood high on the band’s priorities.
The all-female group is comprised of three sisters: Teeny, Lizzie, and Katherine Lieberson, along with their friend Boshra AlSaadi. The Lieberson girls undoubtedly have their father, composer Peter Lieberson, to thank for their musical aptitude, but it’s their poetic and unique perspective that informs their passionately loaded lyrics, which merit several listens.
Psych pop, electro pop, and dream pop are the some of the genres TEEN falls under, with harmonies, guitar riffs, and keyboard tones that bounce along to light-hearted melodies, while the content of the music carries a different tune, a different weight — it’s the kind of feminist pop that Lena Dunham would get behind.
The new album LOVE YES, which the band is currently touring, has a harder, rockier edge that their previous two albums only touched on. The music reflects their Montreal and New York City roots, bearing influence from experiences in the locales they call home and reflecting the dynamic energy of so many people and cultures converging in one place. Their thrilling brand of power-pop will only be in town for one day, so be sure to get your tickets now.
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