Brittany Howard and the Legend of Thunderbitch
"But When She Loves, She Tends to Cling" - Erykah Badu
Yes she does Erykah. She clings very much. I wasn’t bought up to believe in horoscope, but as I’ve been examining my life and tendencies, I’ve noticed that some of the classic piscean characteristics do in fact apply to me. That causes me slight discomfort as I really dislike labels as descriptors of me, but I’ve been opening myself to different ideas and practices, and though I might not understand them or fully embrace them, I think they all have something to teach me. I’m already a rich blends of communities, arts and culture, why not let beliefs and practices into my milieu? The Deeper truth is that I was taught to fear these things, so I guess it’s all a part of my continued reeducation.
But oh my goodness do I cling. I cling in relationships, both romantic and friendly. I cling at work. I’m always in love with my work even though I don’t always love my jobs. I cling to the missions and ideas of the work. I cling to my things. It's so difficult for me to get rid of things I've collected. These days it’s easier when I can donate or give things away, so I know they’ll have another purpose in their inanimate lives. Big shoutout to the Ditmas Park Buy Nothing group on Facebook! Thanks to you I can get things out of my apartment in about 24 hours after posting. Look at that, I’m even clinging to the group.
I strongly disliked my clingy ways for much of my life, and thought that it was something I needed to do away with, but now I’m practicing healthy clinging, with patience, empathy and boundaries. So much good has come from clinging. Yesterday was my one year wedding anniversary, and the way we cling, to each other and to our loved ones is a major reason for our shared joy. And over our near decade of cohabitation, we’ve both learned and adjusted our clings, which just strengthens their hold and elasticity. This entire concept got in my head as I interrogated my relationship with musicians. If I fell in love with someone’s music, I’ve remained excited for their every release, until I no longer felt connected to them or they stopped making music. I don’t care too much about their lives or personal relationships, but if there is a pre-release I’m even vaguely interested in, I click pre-order right away. I don’t need a preview or description, just give me that button and: CLICK! I feel that way about most of the former SMR subjects, and I definitely feel that way about Brittany Howard’s entire career.
It was in 2012 while working at the short lived Park Slope Beauty Bar that I first heard the Alabama Shakes. The manager and Beauty Bar co-founder Paul Devitt was DJing behind the bar one night and he leaned in close to me and said something like “You hear that? She’s this big beautiful Black woman who sings Delta Blues and Soul better than anyone. They’re called the Alabama Shakes”. I listened in the glitter bomb bar and just froze as Brittany belted “You got to hold on”! I took my phone out, did a quick google search and ordered Boys & Girls by the Alabama Shakes right there. Then Paul said something like “What are you looking at, get back to work” and I said “I just bought the Album”, to which Paul replied “Yeah you should really listen to them” and I said, “Did you hear me? I just got the vinyl record, this is serious music!”. I began to cling right there and then. I’m such a pisces (sigh).
The Alabama Shakes’ second album Sound & Color, came to me at moment of deep transition; one year after separating from my ex-wife and a month before I began dating Casey. I was in deep heart mending and the spring was filling me with hope. This album has so much love and pain and more love to it. I became obsessed with that record and cried along with it during so many listens. So many tears that at some point while my new relationship was flourishing and we were very much drunk in love, I had to take a step back and put the album down. I wasn’t ready to continue to live with those feelings but I wanted to enjoy Brittany Howard. Luckily Brittany wasn’t done with 2015, because only four months later she dropped a pure Rock & Roll, self titled album from a band of her’s called Thunderbitch, which was exactly what I needed at the time. Cool fast fun raucous Rock & Roll. While Brittany dropped two amazing solo albums, Jaime (2019) and What Now (2024), that I love very much, today’s Sunday Morning Record is Thunderbitch! I listened to all five albums while writing this and if you have the time, I’d suggest you let them play chronologically, but if you’re here for one SMR, then please let me tell you about the brilliance that is the thirty-two minute, twenty-two second album Thunderbitch.
Thunderbitch is a mysterious band with very little information but it’s made up of Brittany Howard and members of rock bands Fly Golden Eagle and Clear Plastic Masks. AllMusic.com says the band is made up of "Thunderbitch, Matt Man, B Bone, ThunderMitch, Char Man and A Man.". Their physical album is all black with black lettering and does not include any liner notes. When I looked up the album credits all it says is the group’s name. I really love that about them. They’re so in and out, here for a good one not a long one. Thunderbitch is not only the name of the song and album, but it’s also a persona Brittany Howard slipped in and out of like a very cool but very specific jumpsuit. It’s a show of force, that she can slay any genre she puts her talent to.
So From here on out I’ll refer to Brittany as TB because that’s the persona she’s inhabiting. And with that, let’s get into the tracks!
Side A
1. "Leather Jacket"
Leather Jacket is a stripped down, garagey vibe, 1950/60’s style Rock track with some Blues talking in its bridge. It is filled with energy and self actualization. It could be TB”s origin story. TB sings about wanting a leather jacket and first being warned away from it, but once she got it on, her world opened wide up and she became who she was destined to be; Thunderbitch. The second verse of this tale shows the moment of finding one’s self and realizing how awesome it feels:
“'Cause they said that it would change me
Well look at the way it changed me
Now I got pockets that I can put things in
You're gonna be so proud of me momma
I get my drugs for a hell of a deal
Now I'm hanging in these backyards
I win the Tennessee lottery
And it meant the whole world to me
When they said that I could try it on
Well I tried it on
And now I do what I wanna”
The line “Now I got pockets that I can put things in” might seem like just a detail of the jacket, but when we think about women’s clothing and it’s historic relationship to pockets, the revelation of having somewhere to put one’s things that isn’t a standard purse, is a form of liberation and independence. For more on pockets, check out the podcast Articles of Interest’s third episode: Pockets.
2. "I Don't Care"
This joint right here is one minute fifty seconds long, and it contains three verses and a bridge between the second and third. What a big sound in a small package. I don’t care is a Garage Punky rock tune about rebelling and rocking out. A lot of this album is about that and that’s what I’m here for. “I just wanna ride!”
3. "I Just Wanna Rock and Roll"
And “I just wanna Rock and Roll” too. Every Rock Star needs a song about loving Rock & Roll or with the words Rock & Roll in the title. TB is a bonafide Rock Star so she’s gonna tell you how and why and how hard. This song has a rock piano, and anytime I hear that I think of the real King, Little Richard. They’re not playing like him but it still gives me that good piano rock feel that I always dream of.
4. "Eastside Party"
The eastside party is all about the two clap-clap riding a surf rock wave. It’s about going to the eastside cause the westside kinda whack and the eastside is where its at! This song features some cool use of profanity. I have no idea to which eastside TB is referencing, but no matter which eastside, count me enthusiastically in. The “I'm going to the Eastside” chant in the song, makes me wanna get all dirty and sweaty with a beer in a plastic cup splashing it all over a crowd going wild. Make that an NA beer for me, but I’ll be right there in the eastside rocking out with my heart out.
5. "Closer"
Closer is the first slow down we get. It's a slow sweaty sexy rock song with a great build and deliver. It has what I like to call a whiny guitar vibe. Like Bachata but in Rock form. This song feels like it could’ve been an Alabama Shakes song, except it would not go as hard as TB goes in this album. The Shakes would’ve smoothed it out, but TB leaves all ragged edges in tact, so much so, you might need a tetanus shot. The song is all about being closer to someone you love intimately. Talk about clinging, amiright. You know the feeling of being pressed up on someone, with no space between you, but still you have this need to be closer. That’s the vibe of this song. It’s a great way to end side A. All rocked out and a bit turned on.
Side B
6. "Wild Child"
Wild Child is riding a motorcycle while singing fast words at you and letting you know how wild they really are. When I picture this motorcycle it’s really stationary with an old Hollywood background in constant movement so it looks like you’re going really fast. But the Rock Star knows you know they’re on that stationary motorcycle so they’re sitting in ways that would be very dangerous on an actual moving vehicle. It’s fast and hard and hell yeah! Makes me wanna dance around and mess up my hair.
7. "Very Best Friend"
My very best friend is a sweet rock song about friendship. Or is it about drugs? I mean it might be but I don’t know. It’s rock so maybe we’re not supposed to know. It’s fine though cause this song could just be about very best friends and I’m down with that.
8. "My Baby Is My Guitar"
TB loves her guitar. It’s her baby. This song rocks so hard. Voice distortion is the chef’s kiss. Brittany is an amazing guitarist and TB has all her tricks and more. Rock Stars need to sing about their instruments too. The guitar solos are intoxicating, so make sure to drink plenty of water.
9. "Let Me Do What I Do Best"
Mom! Dad! Just Let Me Rock! Another great rock anthem. Thanks TB. Just listen and sway your head. I promise you’ll be fine.
10. "Heavenly Feeling"
TB slows it down one more time to give you an electric bluesy sex filled rock and romp. Heavenly feeling is all about yearning for pleasure. What feeling could be more heavenly in a rock & roll fantasy? Even the guitar yearns in this one. The drums are hot and patient ready to drop hard all over that chorus. It reminds me of Instinct Blues by the White Stripes. This is a great way to end this album, feeling all rocked and spent after TB’s guttural belting all over this track. She has a highly dynamic control of her voice. I mean just listen to one or two songs from each of Brittany Howard's albums and see all the way she bends that instrument. I am always in awe.
There it is. This was Thunderbitch! An album about loving Sex Drugs and Rock & Roll. This is the type of Rock album all quadrants of the rock spectrum can enjoy. Play it for your Gen X Punk Lovers, your Classic Rock Boomers, your 2000’s Garage revival Millennials, your glamorous Glam Rock idols and everyone intersecting about that venn diagram. If you ever commune with the spirit of Rock & Roll this album is for you.
I hope you enjoyed today’s Sunday Morning Record on Brittany Howard and the Legend of Thunderbitch. Come back next Sunday for a new morning record. Till then, have a great week!