The Coathangers have never shied away from political issues, but the trio usually focus their righteous riffs on gender equality and male hypocrisy. Their new single and video “F the NRA” doesn’t just strike a different target, it’s the most pointed political anthem they’ve written to date, paired with an emotional essay from guitarist and vocalist Julia Kugel. Kugel, who came to the States from Belarus has always had a heightened political and social awareness as an immigrant, but the catalyst for this track (which appears on their upcoming album The Devil You Know) was the Parkland shooting. Kugel was incensed as the tragedy unfolded, and further outraged as she watched kids being used as political pawns by the NRA. As she explains in the essay, “The reason I am a musician is because of a need to express my truth, personal or political. I began to question everything: the rights of an artist, the responsibility of being political, the fear of backlash, and the desire to be heard.” Throughout the essay, Kugel picks the brains of some musical compatriots, including Kathleen Hanna and Fugazi’s Brendan Canty. It’s a powerful statement and a nice touch because the Coathangers’ explosive tracks don’t necessarily lend themselves to lyrical exposition, but the heart of the message is still “F the NRA.”
Watch/listen above.
The Devil You Know is out Mar. 8 via Suicide Squeeze. Pre-orders are available here.
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