I’ve been trying to put my finger on why I’m drawn into tracks dropped by music duo Terror Jr (David “Campa” Benjamin & Lisa Vitale). Their latest song 9 2 5 which they sent direct to fans and bloggers (like me) earlier this week, brought it all home.
Terror Jr.’s music manages to pair well crafted electronica and intoxicating vocals with messaging that is left un-conveyed by most music; religion and politics are fair game, physicality is an expression of love, this life can be a grind, and sometimes people drop fuqking swears.
One of the most thought provoking lyrics I’ve ever heard is “White women voted for Trump.” From their 2019 track A-OK (Everything’s Perfect). For me it was a reminder that I’ve built up ‘us vs. them’ narratives in my head, and reality is so much blurrier than that.
In song 9 2 5 they focus on sex, religion, and spirituality. Where most artists dance around these topics with generic lyrics about the warm buzz of ‘liking’ someone, and the melancholy of losing someone, Terror Jr. comes out and says what many of us are thinking about partners we adore, “Treat my body like a 9 2 5.”
We can spend all day suppressing feelings from popular discourse to ‘protect the children’ and mass morality, we can downplay religion and politics in art. A compelling argument could even be made for keeping some things to the imagination.
For me, however, Terror Jr. provides a relatable truth fix. Sex is great, it takes work (both emotional and physical) and it doesn’t have to be an inside joke that’s behind a manufactured shrowd of supposed decency.
Favorite this track on Spotify. Buy it on iTunes. More importantly, follow Terror Jr’s lead and bring a touch more authenticity into your life.
XO
Nate