Dying Scene Review — Rat Bath – “Fuck you and Fuck yur god too”

Sometimes I’ll listen to a single and get the complete vibe of the entire band in one go. I think this single pretty effectively encompasses that. Plus, the cassette came with a discount code for Bandcamp, which is something I haven’t seen before and a welcome addition to the fun game of physical media purchasing. Coupons! Yippee. Slotting the cassette into my yellow Walkman, I was excited to finally hear the vocals, considering I was absurdly high and dancing way too hard to hear them accurately at the show.

“FY&FYGT” features the stellar vocal work of Fred Kanyon, something you need to see live to feel the power of. The band’s electric energy radiates from the vocals, the moments where Fred leans into the microphone and really screams the repetitive eponymous refrain. I know quite a few bands that manage to blur the line between live performance and recorded sound well, but Rat Bath really shines both live and recorded.

Time seems to go on, and as it goes, the music follows it. Political music has its place deep in the annals of time and history, and Rat Bath is leading the way. They mix queercore, grunge, emo, and pulse-pounding pop punk into a delightful smorgasboard across their discography. You can feel the hands of each band member across the music, a mix of influences screamed out on-stage, and “Fuck you and Fuck yur god too” is a wonderful example of that.

The b-side on the single, “DM Stands For Dungeon Mommy,” follows the lead’s vibes and sound while featuring a truly delightful conceptual track. Leaning into the grungier aspects, we hear them sing about a dominatrix doing dominatrix things. They are both fantastic songs that have been stuck in my head since I first heard them.

Rat Bath has something to their work. Since 2019 they’ve been releasing an album every year along with relentless singles. Talking to them reveals their love for their fans, their love for music, and a relentless forward movement towards growth and improvement. The cross of queerpunk and grunge is sorely needed, and this band embraces it beautifully. Check out the single on their Bandcamp.