Depression Breakfast at The East Room, 6/28/2018
Over the past year-and-change, riot grrrl-inspired four-piece Depression Breakfast has been an energizing force and, to paraphrase a comment from local rock promoter Ryan Sweeney in our 2018 Rock ’n’ Roll Poll, it's a voice a lot of people needed to hear. At a time when it feels like every traditional source of information is muddled and has to be taken with a handful of salt, their intense music is clear and direct in its messages.
The group focuses on ideas that seem like they should be fundamental but still seem to get distorted. Case in point: “Believe Me (I’m Not Lying),” which we’re very pleased to premiere today. As her band plays the ultra-tense garage-rock-schooled piece, singer Meg Pharr illustrates the way a woman who’s been sexually assaulted might end up defending herself a second time — against people who don’t want to believe her.
"The first time we performed ‘Believe Me (I’m Not Lying)’ was around the time of the Kavanaugh hearings,” says Pharr in an email to the Cream. “It was heart-wrenching to witness people talking about a woman’s trauma in a way that diminished her reality and put HER up for public trial. It seemed like an incredibly large chunk of America didn’t believe her even though the reality is that out of all sexual assault allegations, it’s estimated that 2 percent are false reports. However, due to public scrutiny, like Christine Blasey Ford faced, an estimated 63 percent of victims don’t ever report their assault. These numbers aren’t just numbers, they’re people’s reality and for anyone to discount someone’s truth about such a subject is a heinous act."
Stream the track below and watch the band’s Facebook profile and that of local label To-Go Records for updates on the group’s forthcoming album Just Because I’m a Womxn. (See the track list at the bottom of this post.) The record is out next Friday, Aug. 2, and they band will play a release party at Drkmttr on the following Tuesday, Aug. 6. On a bittersweet note, that doubles as a farewell show, because Pharr is moving out of the country. Stellar punk trios Peachy and Bazookatooth and Pavement-meets-Go-Betweens pop-rock experimenters Iven will join the group, and proceeds from the $10 cover will go to support the nonprofit Tennessee Immigrant and Refugee Rights Coalition.
Just Because I'm a Womxn Track List
1. Lofty Thots
2. Art Boy
3. Art Girl
4. Type
5. There’s No D in Privilege
6. Professional
7. Lose It (Art Boy II)
8. Believe Me (I’m Not Lying)
