Hot New Music: Those Darlins "Screws Get Loose" - Album Review

Have you ever met a girl that you were so envious of because of her good looks and super cool persona? The kind of chick that exudes a badass, I-don’t-give-a-fuck confidence and tends to play like a boy, but is all women? Tennessee rockers, Those Darlins, are all that and a bag of chips! And when I say “bag of chips,” I really mean that statement. These sexy firecrackers love their food. So much to the point where there’s always a song or two about food on their records, not to mention they may take an uninvited bite out of your sandwich at one of their live shows.

While most chicks are too worried about what other people think, Those Darlins are as real as they come. In 2009 Those Darlins’ self-titled debut album, won our hearts with their honest and comical lyrics about getting drunk, eating a whole chicken and breaking hearts. Rolling with a Patsy Cline-like country twang, their awesome single “Wild One,” was the ultimate anthem for hot chicks with a ride-or-die confidence. Lyrics such as: “If you don’t want a wild one, quit hanging ’round with me, you knew right from the start that’s my personality, if you can’t handle crazy, go ahead and leave…,” served as a warning to current and potential suitors. It’s as though traditional gender roles are switched when it comes to Those Darlins. They may dress up in adorable ruffled booty shorts, sundresses and cowboy boots, but just as they state in their new single, “Be Your Bro,” “I may have girly parts, but I got a booooy’s heart.” Indeed they do.

After endless touring and honing their chops, Those Darlins are back with a hot new album titled, Screws Get Loose. The 11-track record is the first to show off drummer Linwood Regensburg stepping up as a songwriter. Yeah, he’s a dude, but a darlin’ one. This latest collection of songs finds Those Darlins trading in a bit of their country twang for a more garage pop sound. Staying consistent with an honest tone about their daily lives, Those Darlins still talk about food and relationships, but now with plenty of notches under their tour belt, each song also represents the highs and lows they’ve anchored together as a touring band.

What’s great about Screws Get Loose, aside from its rich lyrics, is the album’s diversity. Those Darlins’ debut was full of country punk and blues and now we find a mature follow-up that is not afraid to experiment with various styles of music. The album’s title track, “Screws Get Loose” and its single “Be Your Bro,” are both damn catchy with their thick hooks and pop melodies. I found myself whistling each tune more than once at the most random moments. Oppositely, the tripped out “Mystic Mind” takes you on a funny spaced out journey of 70s inspired stoner jams. You’ll definitely be doing the closed-eyed head bob to this diddy. Then you have the fun track “Boy,” that takes us back to the 60s girl-group days. The song is very cute and bubbly and probably the most feminine song in Those Darlins’ catalog. But don’t get too coochie-coo on the track. The group brings back that raw power with “Fatty Needs a Fix.” The song is very punk riding in under two minutes and is the new “The Whole Damn Thing.” But instead of talking about eating a whole chicken, the girls chime about: “Can’t do soup, I can’t do salad, give me something hearty to fill my palette, you just want to give me some lovin’, I don’t want that kind of bun in the oven …. starving for something and it ain’t your touch, baby baby baby too hungry to uh!” Lyrically and musically this song is the shit! I can not wait to see it performed live. I will have a BBQ pork sammy waiting for the girls.

Those Darlins’ new album, Screws Get Loose is an edgy bouquet of all things cool. The band has managed to stay true to their real and raw tone while fusing a well crafted range of sounds. While their lyrics remain honest with bold narratives they aren’t afraid to share, Those Darlins have matured in verse and instrumentation. There’s a little bit of everything in this album, but it’s all still rock and roll.

Those Darlins are coming to Los Angeles on Tuesday, April 19 for a headlining show at the Satellite! It’s gonna be a wild good time and tickets are only $12! Buy your tickets here!

Words: Sandra Burciaga