With the release of their full-length debut, the San Antonio, TX-based punk outfit Fea, comprised of Girl In A Coma‘s Phanie Diaz and Jenn Alva with Letty Martinez and Sofi Lopez, quickly developed a reputation for a trailblazing aesthetic that meshed Chicana Punk with Riot Grrl ethos paired with fuzzy power chords and three-part vocal harmonies.
The San Antonio-based punk act’s Alice Bag-produced sophomore album No Novelties is slated for a November 15, 2019 release through Joan Jett’s Blackheart Records, and the forthcoming album is a collection of bilingual songs that thematically focus on a number of today’s hot-button topics from sexism, the toxic self-awareness and self-promotion of social media, with a tongue-in-cheek sense of humor and feminist punk sensibility paired with increasingly intricate arrangements. Interestingly, No Novelties’ first single “Let Me Down” is a blistering takedown of society’s obsession with social media and reality TV, centered around a propulsive rhythm section, fuzzy power chords and a big, mosh pit meets arena rock hook featuring three part harmonizing. And while calling out our obsession with fame, constant praise, instant gratification, self-absorption, self-promotion, sex and consumerism the song finds the San Antonio punk rock act meshing 77 era punk with power pop in a way that’s infectious yet defiant.
“This song speaks about today’s society and the obsession with fame, praise, self-promotion and sex,” the band’s Letty Martinez explains in press notes. “Social media is a great platform to send a message and keep in touch. Yet, most of the time it’s used to put yourself on display for a quick ego boost. It’s addicting to most and I believe detrimental to mental health and self-esteem.”