Mannequin Pussy – Who You Are (Stream)

by Steven Spoerl

Longtime site favorites Mannequin Pussy have never ceased to impress but they seemed to have found a different stratosphere to occupy for Patience, a career best work that digs deep into incredibly personal matters with all the rage and eventual understanding that accompanies that territory. While there’ll be a full assessment of the record later, advance single “Who You Are” offered a unique window into that bruised and bruising world with an insightful tenderness that was backed by a deceptively brute chaos.

Arriving on the heels of “Drunk II”, “Who You Are” had some wondering if Mannequin Pussy had more fully embraced their softer side. The back half of the latter track should have put those worries to rest but they persisted before eventually being incinerated by the behemoth that was Patience. Even if those suspicions had been more fully warranted, Mannequin Pussy would still have stood tall as one of today’s best emergent bands.

“Who You Are” was nearly scrapped from the record before bandleader Marisa Dabice realized that “Who You Are” was an inward song rather than outward; the narrative took on weight as Dabice realized the person she was addressing was a younger version of herself. It’s a startlingly sweet and sincere message without ever tipping over into the saccharine. Some damage is very clearly present, lending impact to its urgency.

By the time the song breaks down into its no-holds-barred closing section, the intensity level’s risen from a simmer past a boil, the whole thing threatening to overtake not just the pot but the stove. Wild-eyed and manic, the band thrashes hard underneath what was once a cool surface, embracing their penchant for roaring fire once more, content to raze all their difficulties and watch the ashes fall.

Listen to “Who You Are” and pre-order Patience from Epitaph here.