On April 8th, The Regrettes, a small, but feisty band from Los Angeles, CA released their third album, Further Joy. This album was announced ahead of their tour this summer, which stops in Washington, D.C. on May 3.
The album was preceded with a lead single “Monday”, which resonated with fans, specifically young women with the tagline “an existential crisis, and it’s only a Monday”. There are many other songs on the album that mention these sort of chaotic, uncertain feelings that most of the world has been feeling for the past two years, but are even more present among young women.
The band has stood up for women’s issues in the past, specifically with the release of their song “Poor Boy” in response to Justic Kavanaugh’s confirmation to the Supreme Court, despite the several allegations of sexual assault and harassment against him. This album however, was a bit more subtle in its outreach to young women who are struggling in such a tough world.
On the surface, many of these songs are catchy and upbeat, but they’re also insightful and an ode to many of the shared experiences that are not often sung about. While they do sing about more common themes, like falling in love, The Regrettes also dive deep into mental health, burnout, sobriety and sexuality.
In “Anxieties (Out of Time)”, they sing about struggling to stay hopeful and put together, but not backing down from the hardships of daily life. During the chorus, the lead singer Lydia Night poses the question, “Are we just forever runnin’ out of time?” It’s a song that can resonate with college students, and young people in these transitional periods, because of how uncertain everything is.
In another underrated hit off the album, “Better Now”, The Regrettes reflect on the process of healing and growing, carrying the idea of being kinder to our past selves. In the pre-chorus, Night shares, “I’d like to treat me better now” and expresses what it’s like to start taking things into perspective and start being kinder to ourselves, and valuing our experiences.
A song that encapsulates both the need for a catchy tune and the de-stigmatization of mental health is the track “La Di Da”, in which Night sings about breaking apart at the seams, while trying to claim her time and place and exist peacefully.
This album has many incredible songs that destigmatize issues that affect everyone, and are relevant to daily life.