Following the recent single and video “Control”, Mannequin Pussy are back with another taste of their forthcoming Perfect EP in the form of the title track. Singer Missy says:
“Last year, I found myself spending more time on my phone than I ever had in my life. Physically separate from other people, I spent hours of time watching other humans perform on my rectangle. I realized that through years of social media training, many of us have grown this deep desire to manicure our lives to look as perfect, as aspirational as possible. We want to put ourselves out there, share our lives, our stories, our day to day – and these images and videos all shout the same thing: ‘Please look at me, please tell me I’m so perfect.’ It’s simultaneously a declaration of our confidence but edged with the desperation that seeks validation from others.”
Appropriate for a song so dripping with ire, Mannequin Pussy revert to their older and brasher sound to deliver a scorching 80-second punk song that still manages to pack in all the character and dynamism of their more grandiose offerings. While the three musicians slam repeated riffs on their instruments, Missy takes up the role of an Insta-addicted nymph, vocally cavorting with equal amounts of fury and sardonicism, laughing and spitting as she delivers provocative lines like “Look in my eyes / Tell me I’m it / Tell me I’m beauty / Tell me I’m fit.” A song whose sheer spikiness and impact cannot be captured in words, “Perfect” is a thrilling condensation of Mannequin Pussy’s raison d’etre.
The video, once again directed by Missy herself, really brings out the brilliant balance between humour and anger in “Perfect”. Watch it below or listen to the song on streaming platforms.
Mannequin Pussy’s Perfect EP comes out on May 21 through Epitaph. You can find the band on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
