Review: Doll Skin- Manic Pixie Dream Girl

A force that’s been taking over the Phoenix punk scene since 2014, Doll Skin has quite a run this summer. Heading out on a headlining tour, preparing for a short run with Vans Warped Tour, planning a supporting tour with Next to None, and releasing their first full-length album, the female four piece has been kicking ass and taking names. Their debut LP, Manic Pixie Dream Girl, is a whirlwind of energetic, fiery, forceful “glitter punk” that will leave jaws on the floor. With a track and music video released for lead single, “Shut Up (You Miss Me),” the girls are clearly ecstatic about their impending release—and for good reason. Promotion for the album saturates their social media accounts, and truthfully, Manic Pixie Dream Girl lives up to the hype. Their impressive tour history of opening for acts such as OTEP and Escape the Fate shows in the professionalism and precision of the album—they were taking notes. Some of the strongest tracks include “Shut Up (You Miss Me),” “Daughter,” and “Boy Band.” “Persephone” cranks up the punk and metal influences, which would appeal to those who were into “Family of Strangers” from their In Your Face (Again) EP. A cover of “Uninvited” and “Sweet Pea” slow it down a bit, with the former taking on an eerie tone and the latter getting pretty personal. While Dolezal’s vocals are phenomenal, a refreshing aspect to Manic Pixie Dream Girl is the collaborative effort. It seems as though most if not all of Doll Skin contributes to the vocals on the majority of the tracks, pushing power into the lyrics—not that it needs any more of that. If you thought feelings would be spared on Manic Pixie Dream Girl, you underestimate Doll Skin’s propensity for cutting lyrics and social criticism. “Boy Band” is a scathing response to sexism the girls have faced in the industry, and it in no way, shape, or form holds back. Names aren’t named, but the boy band it’s about will be left quaking in their Vans. And do I really need to say “Puncha Nazi” gets political? With driving instrumentals, powerful vocals, and biting lyrics, Manic Pixie Dream Girl will easily fit in among your workout playlist, your political protest, and the strongest punk releases of 2017. Phoenix has been singing Doll Skin’s praises for quite some time, and now, everyone else likely will be too. Manic Pixie Dream Girl drops June 16^th and is available on iTunes.   Rating: 9.5/10