DUMP BABES Release Known Liar, as focus track, “Criminal”
Saskatchewan indie/rock group Dump Babes have released their new full-length album Known Liar, shared alongside the focus track “Criminal”.
Originally a folk-rock project, Dump Babes has experimented with pop, disco, psych-rock, and elements of heavy-metal on their journey toward their current sound. Their music is extremely lyrically driven, with Aurora’s powerful vocals propelling the music in a style reminiscent of Jefferson Airplane/Starship. It is driving, heavy, and at times hypnotic (think Frigs, Dehd), while still compelling you to dance, laugh, and breathe in its lighthearted moments.
Sharing more on focus track “Criminal”, Aurora explains,
“I get a little paranoid when my partner heads out to work in the summer and I’m sleeping at the house alone with just the two cats. This song is just about feeling uneasy at night and also realizing that I live in a quiet retirement neighbourhood, so it’s highly unlikely anything is going to happen. This was the last song that we got to compose with our original bass player Jill Mack before she passed, so it holds a special place in this album for us.”
Known Liar is at its heart an album about grief, the ways that we navigate death and the ripples of change (both negative and positive) that it causes within our communities. In 2022 their dear friend, bass player, and founding member Jill Mack passed away after a ferocious and heartbreaking battle with stage 4 cancer.
Aurora explains,
“It was an overwhelmingly painful experience which we are still processing, however, the clarity of death tends to remind us what is truly important in this world. When Jill first got sick, her friends, family, and greater community rallied around her at an unprecedented level. This outpouring of compassion and support speaks to our human desire to care for each other.”
Like reality, this album reflects the process of mourning as a constant and non-linear experience. For example, ‘Bitter’ is about allowing yourself to feel angry, upset, and hurt. ‘Heavy Eyes’ speaks to the strains on other relationships that grief causes. ‘Smoking’ addresses how difficult times can reveal repressed traumas from the past. However, this album also has light- even goofy moments that reflect deepened friendships, moments of shared comfort, and new beginnings. In its entirety Known Liar isn’t a concept album, but a love letter for a friend whose impact extended past her earth bound vessel and continues to reverberate through those who loved her.
“Musically, ‘Known Liar’ is a refinement to our distinct sound. Staying true to our self described ‘trash-pop’ genre, we’ve strived to bring forward the danceable, lyric-driven, and retro elements that our fans know and love. It’s heavier and more driving than our previous releases, while still incorporating a healthy dose of unexpected pop moments. Additionally, we won’t be making the mistake of taking for granted how special it is to create art with your friends. This album represents a lot of tears, hugs, and laughter and we hope that it’ll remind everyone to hold your pals close.”