Blondshell’s ‘Kiss City’ Brings the Alt-Rock Fireworks

It starts slow, then explodes — and when it’s over, you can’t wait for it to start again. “Kiss City,” the second single from Blondshell, a.k.a. New York-raised, L.A.-based singer-songwriter Sabrina Teitelbaum, is all about that all-encompassing rush of feeling. “Just look me in the eye when I’m about to finish,” she sings over gentle “Don’t Worry Baby” percussion, before delivering a lyric-of-the-year contender: “I think my kink is when you tell me that you think I’m pretty.” Then she sings it again, louder, over screaming guitars. This isn’t an artist who’s shy about telling you exactly what’s on her mind, or about going for a grand alt-rock gesture she knows she can absolutely nail.

Blondshell’s first single, “Olympus,” was like this, too — huge melody, crashing chords, stunningly forthright lyrics, mic presence off the charts. It was quite a calling card for a mostly unknown artist, and “Kiss City” raises the stakes with its endlessly replayable two-minute build and payoff. Indie-rock industry types are buzzing off the charts about her, but you don’t need to know that to tell that Blondshell is onto something here. “It turns me on when you tell me you’re not going away,” she shouts. Something tells me she’s not going anywhere either.

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Blondshell Tour Dates

Fri Jul 22: Los Angeles @ The Echo w/ Horsegirl
Tue Sep 6: San Diego CA @ Casbah w/ Porridge Radio
Wed Sep 7: Los Angeles CA @ Lodge Room w/ Porridge Radio
Fri Sep 9: San Francisco CA @ Rickshaw Stop w/ Porridge Radio
Mon Sep 12: Portland OR @ Doug Fir w/ Porridge Radio
Tue Sep 13: Seattle WA @ Barboza w/ Porridge Radio
Thu Sep 15: Boise ID @ Neurolux w/ Porridge Radio
Fri Sep 16: Salt Lake City UT @ Kilby Court w/ Porridge Radio
Sat Sep 17: Denver CO @ Lost Lake w/ Porridge Radio