Sage Debut Album Review: 'Free Brainwashing'
Over the last month here at Hot & Heavy, there has been one name that has been on the tips of everyone’s tongues and across our keyboards; and that name is Sage.
Sage is Melbourne’s reigning queen of bitch-punk, and along with drummer Jareth, the duo have just dropped their debut album ‘Free Brainwashing’.
Sage has proven time and time again that she is an absolute force to be reckoned with, and this debut album is a total testament to that fact. Her bandcamp bio describes her as “a loudmouthed trans woman with one hell of an attitude and a scream like a wailing banshee” and it is this fearlessness that makes her so iconic.
“Sage is a direct product of the current state of the world. Sage is a rally cry for the oppressed. Sage is fucking pissed.”
This album is 13 tracks of absolute carnage and tenacity, with Sage's outspoken views on society and the state of the world forming the basis of each song.
so, Let's just dive straight into it....
'Proles'
'Free Brainwashing' opens with 'Proles' which is the perfect ignition to light up this album. Opening with a melancholic guitar melody, this song instantly picks up with Sage’s signature wails over rapid drums and sharp riffs.
The line “You can’t bring me down” is chanted in the background as Sage declares “You think that we’re stupid and don’t have a clue/ But we hide in the shadows plotting our move”.
While only being a little over a minute long, this song is a powerful call to arms to those who are fed up with the system, with this tenacity and momentum being followed through the album as a whole.
The next tracks ‘Victim’ and ‘Vagrant’ build on the foundation that ‘Proles’ has laid out. ‘Victim’ deals with similar themes of discontentment with society, and ‘Vagrant’ was inspired through Sage’s lived experience as a punk artist, as well as her trans identity. Sage herself states that:
"Vagrant is a call to arms for punks everywhere".
Punk is obviously political, yet Sage's lyricism and expression are what make her so impactful as an artist. in 'Media Screen’ Sage criticises the role that social media and media has a whole have in fear mongering and spreading misinformation.
'Give The Girls Guns'
There is definitely a bit of a shift once 'Give The Girls Guns' begins to play. This track directly confronts gendered violence and the acceptance of misogyny in our society, with the rising femicide rates in Australia being one of Sage’s catalysts behind this track.
Lines like “stay alive is all you fantasize” are so evocative and Sage’s delivery between moments of pure rage and cynicism are done perfectly. This one is so f*cking powerful and is definitely one of my standout songs from the album.
'Butchers Block'
'Butcher’s Block' is another standout track that really demonstrates Sage’s unapologetic approach to her lyrics and intentions. Like Madi said in her review of this one, 'Butcher’s Block' “hits out at the cowardice of complacency in a world so politically and morally corrupt”. This song really feels like Sage’s personal manifesto, delivered brutally raw over destructive riffs.
While leaning heavily into the punk genre, 'Free Brainwashing' also shows other aspects of Sage’s musicality. Tracks like ‘Waste’ have a more pop-punk inspired feel with driving guitar rhythms, and ‘Ascendant No More’ comes through with a surf rock vibe and riffs that sound right out of the 60’s.
'You Live a Lie' gave me major Riot Grrrl and grunge vibes, which also fit perfectly with Sage’s overall message and intention with this one. 'Decade of Death' also has a unique sound that blends elements of ska with hardcore punk.
'Dictator' & 'Phillip'
The last tracks in 'Free Brainwashing' are the cherries on top.
'Dictator' is a hard and fast track that criticises those in power who rule in hypocrisy and cowardice (unfortunately something that we are definitely seeing more of worldwide). There is a note of optimism in this one though, with the final lines of: “There’s a change in the wind/ I can’t take another sin”, letting us know that Sage has no intentions of giving up the fight.
The final track 'Phillip' is a high-energy, mostly instrumental track (minus one lyric which is, you guessed it, Phillip!). Who is Phillip? I think only the queen herself can tell us about the meaning behind this one...
Final Thoughts!
I absolutely loved listening to every minute of this album, and for a debut I was especially super duper impressed by 'Free Brainwashing' in its entirety.
Sage is so self assured in everything she says, and it's really inspiring to see an artist that is unapologetically unafraid to stand up for what they believe in through their art. I absoutely cannot wait to see what this girl will do next! ♡
You should definitely check out 'Free Brainwashing' for yourself by clicking here!
Sage will be playing an album launch show on September 17th at The Creature Bar in Brunswick. If you have never seen Sage perform live before, then you better make sure that your ass is there! You can get your tix here xx
There are also some more in depth reviews of individual tracks from this album linked below if you're thirsty for more :)
