With Sarah Tudzin’s superb 2024 album ‘Power’ still in my backlog to review (short version – it’s fantastic, get it), Illiminati Hotties bring their sassy American indie rock to the NPR Tiny Desk series. Swapping out electric guitars for a more Americana/Bluesgrass vibe, this is a stripped-back, playful arrangement of a grungier, messier sound. I haven’t heard a banjo in the main recordings before, yet the arrangements work superbly well. The dry vocal recording of Sarah’s voice brings a vulnerability and sweetness to the performance, too. The lyrics still cut deep, and the performance still brings comedy, irony, charm, and extremely catchy guitar and vocal hooks. If this is your first experience of Illuminati Hotties, just be prepared that their sound is heavier than what is performed here.
I’ll have to get my finger out and write the review for ‘Power’, but if this whets your whistle – Illuminati Hotties have all their releases on Bandcamp.
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