Sad13 – Slugger

Trilling Wit Bubbles and Boils in a Catchy Pop Stew

Sad13 is the solo-departure of Sadie Dupuis, the driving force behind grungier outfit Speedy Ortiz. As Sad13, Dupuis can liberate herself from the structures (however malleable) of her previous band, wrest herself from the clutches of heartbreak and explore her feelings in the climate of a culture that finds itself at the apex of division, feminism, wildly opposing world views and—it seems at times—utter chaos.

Slugger is Dupuis’ debut album as Sad13, showcasing her stunning singing voice and cunning lyrics front and center. With elements of candy pop, structured and pre-programmed electronic influence, live instrumentation, honeyed and infectious cadence, and some moments of audio surrealism, Sad13 is a little arty, airy and admittedly not for everyone. That being said, the effort is modest and earnest, a very important set of qualities to have when weaving political, artistic and personal influences into a debut that is not only a first effort, but a first effort away from an accepted and well-liked band; as an artist she runs the risk of alienating the listener. Sadie Dupuis is able to keep things tempered just right, boding well for Slugger and any future albums to come under the moniker.

“<2” is the first track and it kicks off with an eerie, synth driven beat that immediately pairs with Dupuis’ crystal clear delivery before melting into a structured and modestly catchy, quick chorus. Every word Dupuis says can be heard clearly—there’s no hiding behind alternating levels or distortion, use of reverb or any other distracting element—which makes for lyricism that absolutely must hold up for invited and encouraged scrutiny.

“The Sting” dissolves into a still heavily electronic number, but it’s also a shmoozy waltz with Dupuis asking in a buttery croon, “What the hell is wrong with me? Apart from what the doctors see?” suggesting the deeper personality that is effortlessly layered over the jaunty bubble gum sound will be a continuing theme.

“Fixina” molds an iron-clad beat and Dupuis’ trilling, fluttery falsettos with tinkling tones and clap-percussion. The song meanders through a solemn, sexy, irresistible path that sounds like a demented ’90s teen star pop track. It’s even a dance track at times, though this is a natural progression of the track and not a forced “get up, get going” vibe.

“Get A Yes” explains plain and simply that you need to get consent. In a culture that still refuses to accept what consent means, or pretends that it’s up for debate, “Get A Yes” cuts through that with lyrics like “Don’t even write me off, I only cross a line if I wanna” and “I say yes to the dress when I put it on—I say yes if I want you to take it off,” removing the “debate” element from the situation. “Devil In U” assumes an ominous tone, explaining the angst and pain of dealing with another person’s toxicity, but again delivering this heavyweight emotional turmoil against a ridiculously infectious beat. If there’s one main take away from Slugger, it’s that is has absolutely no shortage of intelligently curated melody.

Of Slugger, Dupuis says in a press release, “I wanted to make songs that were the opposite of ‘Genie in A Bottle’ or ‘The Boy Is Mine,’ songs that put affirmative consent at the heart of the subject matter and emphasize friendship among women and try to deescalate the toxic jealousy and ownership that are often centered in romantic pop songs.” Ever listened to an ’80s power ballad about an evil woman who toys with the singers heart, or a girl group anthem that spits vitriol at other women in case they have wandering eyes? Has anyone else ever wondered when a pop song might take on the emotions we all feel and want to explore without utterly bashing and deconstructing any one gender as awful and in effect helping to internalize concepts that devalue people in a general sweep? Sadie Dupuis aims to fix this problem and that is nothing short of amazing.

Slugger is unabashedly great—regardless of a listener’s inclination for certain genres, if any one person sits down and spends a little time with this record with a mind that is open (and hips that are willing to move), they may find they had way more fun than ever intended—and they may have learned a few lessons in the process.