Full Bush

Philly garage rock four-piece Full Bush brings the sweet sounds of punk grit on their new single, “Someone.” Usually the four-piece hits us with wild headbanging tunes, like in their 2016 song “Ray’s,” but this time, they’ve slowed things down and pace themselves.

Frontwoman Kate Breish deadpan vocals sneak along with throbbing drums, tense bass, and righteous guitar riffs as the song explodes, makes this five-minute track a thrash kid’s perfect fantasy.

Full Bush is currently out on a spring tour with Bonny Boon; it plays 1984 in Wilmington tonight, more information can be found here. The band’s next Philly show is June 23rd at The Barbary; details at the XPN Concert Calendar. Listen to “Someone” below. - The Key

On their self titled debut LP, Full Bush reveal themselves as the rare kind of band that defies any expectation. Their songs unfold like stories from the wittiest person you know, so spontaneous they feel improvised but so seamlessly constructed you’d think they were rehearsed for years. And like a great story, once you hear the beginning, you can’t stop listening until you hear the payoff.

The whole album is seamless and absorbing. Though built upon punk’s simple chord progressions and straight-ahead rhythms, the music never feels formulaic. They use seamless shifts in tempo, dynamics, and even musical style to deliver constant thrilling surprises. Lyrics are equally striking. Hilarious, angry, and effortlessly charismatic, Full Bush take aim at the patriarchy in all its forms (and a certain much-hated Philadelphia rock band) with shocking directness. The album is as quotable as a comedy special and as exhilarating as a mosh pit. Simply put, you owe it to yourself to hear it. - The Key

The first proper release from Philadelphia’s Full Bush is as funny and irreverent as you might expect from a punk band conceived over drinks. Vocalist Kate Breish delivers her lyrics clearly and with a slight twang, able to catapult stylistically from heavy rock wail to no-wave monotone. Sure, Full Bush might sometimes give off a party vibe (consider the lyrics to “Surf Song”: I hate your face / Drink a six-pack / Listen to Full Bush”). But the quartet also veer into more serious territory, such as on the powerful, grooving, late Sleater Kinney-esque “Someone,” which presents romantic relationships in all their complexity. - Bandcamp

I hadn’t heard of Philadelphia’s Full Bush until I got an email from their PR asking if I wanted to check them out opening for Alice Bag this past summer in Greenfield, Mass. I was already planning on checking out the show, so I was stoked to check out some new punk.

The foursome of females just absolutely blew me away with their live performance. I loved the energy, and the music was ultra punk with a lot of other heavy genre influences. I wanted to snag a CD after the show, but unfortunately they were just a couple weeks away from releasing their full-length debut. I had to settle for buttons and stickers instead.

Luckily, my new email buddy, Carly -- their PR source -- had emailed me back asking how I liked the show and if I wanted to do an album review for them. Fuck yeah! I was down.

The self titled album is currently available digitally only, but they have plans in the works for future physical copies of the album on CD, vinyl and even the latest comeback … cassette tape. I’ll definitely be picking this up on vinyl when it’s available.

Bassist Cassie writes the majority of the songs. “It comes from a personal space and things she went through,” Full Bush told me via email. They write based on the things they are currently going through. When they practice, they just start jamming and usually 90% of the time, they find something they like and it works, so they go with it. They are very “in the moment” musicians and they play what excites them.

“We think that’s why it’s hard to really pin down our sound,” they said, “but then again, fuck being pinned down to a genre.” I couldn't agree more. They are all over the place, but in oh such a good way. “We just want to have a good time and make a lot of noise.”

Full Bush Album Reviewed
words by Jennifer Levesque
fbband001.jpg
Full Bush is L-R: Adesola (drums), Jayne (lead guitar, backup vocals), Kate (lead vocals, rhythm guitar), and Cassie (bass guitar, backup vocals)
I hadn’t heard of Philadelphia’s Full Bush until I got an email from their PR asking if I wanted to check them out opening for Alice Bag this past summer in Greenfield, Mass. I was already planning on checking out the show, so I was stoked to check out some new punk.

The foursome of females just absolutely blew me away with their live performance. I loved the energy, and the music was ultra punk with a lot of other heavy genre influences. I wanted to snag a CD after the show, but unfortunately they were just a couple weeks away from releasing their full-length debut. I had to settle for buttons and stickers instead.

Luckily, my new email buddy, Carly -- their PR source -- had emailed me back asking how I liked the show and if I wanted to do an album review for them. Fuck yeah! I was down.

The self titled album is currently available digitally only, but they have plans in the works for future physical copies of the album on CD, vinyl and even the latest comeback … cassette tape. I’ll definitely be picking this up on vinyl when it’s available.

Bassist Cassie writes the majority of the songs. “It comes from a personal space and things she went through,” Full Bush told me via email. They write based on the things they are currently going through. When they practice, they just start jamming and usually 90% of the time, they find something they like and it works, so they go with it. They are very “in the moment” musicians and they play what excites them.

“We think that’s why it’s hard to really pin down our sound,” they said, “but then again, fuck being pinned down to a genre.” I couldn't agree more. They are all over the place, but in oh such a good way. “We just want to have a good time and make a lot of noise.”



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Opening track “Hey Boy” starts the album out with alternative punk with gentle sung lyrics “Come here boy, I wanna talk to you. That’s right, come a little closer why dontcha.” Towards the end of the song, it picks up getting a little heavy, even grunge-like. I’m already digging the album on the first track.

“III Tempered” is a mix-genre masterpiece. You hear vocalist/guitarist Kate’s vocal range from cute and cuddly sing-talking to all out rage screaming. It’s heavy, and then it’s pop-like, then it emerges into straight up hardcore punk. A clusterfuck in all the right ways. Heart hands.

“Ray’s” is the band’s first single and it reminds me of an old-school doo-wop tune, and then you listen to the lyrics: “All those who doubt me can suck cocks in hell .... My favorite bar is my personal hell, I wanna push you down a big wishing well … I just wanna get fucked up.” It’s clearly a drinking anthem, in fact, it’s about a local Philadelphia watering hole called “Ray’s Happy Birthday Bar.” “Ray’s is basically about a night in Philly after a super crappy night,” Full Bush said. I dig the song so much that I’ll definitely have to check that place out if I’m in that area, for sure.

“Dinner Fingers” is a post-punk tune with scratching guitars, fun lyrics, and catchy drum beats. It’s a band favorite and the first song they wrote together as a 3-piece before lead guitarist and backing vocalist, Jayne joined the band.

When you start listening to a song called “What The Fuck” you just kind of assume it’s going to be dark and angry. It starts off anything but that. I think in a way it brings out their personalities to name it that and have that the main chorus … It starts off slow and pretty and almost out of place? Then once you get to the 02:15 marker, it gets heavy and way faster. Then it closes back up into that slower, pretty ballad.

Starting as an acapella, vibrating multiple voices, “Deserve” is a track to listen to over and over. Bassist Cassie kicks in, strumming slow and steady, next to the vocals. Then you can hear the Adesola’s drums kick in, soft in the background. The guitars chim in, like each musical piece has their own entrance on this one. About half-way through the tone changes, and it almost feels angry. Then singer Kate morphs her voice into this bird-like singing, mimicking the instrument tones, and then slams out “You deserve this” which is followed by a high pitched turned gut wrenching scream. That sent chills from my head to toes. By far the most powerful song on the album, in my opinion.

“Surf Song” is a fun song, with drumstick clicking and all. “One, Two, Three, Four, I hate your face! Drink a six pack! Listen to Full Bush! Share a six pack, listen to Full Bush, Hey!” It’s like their promotional song, like if they had a commercial for their album, they already had the ditty to go along with it.

The longest track on the album, “Someone” starts off gritty and grungy. I love the droning bass and the dual guitars in this one. It picks up mid-way and becomes brighter, with some gnarly guitar solos and singer Kate’s crooning comes back blending in with the instruments. "’Someone’ was a poem I wrote in college about a gaslighting ex and it was cathartic for me,” said one of the members. Seriously, fuck bad relationships. The only good thing that comes out of them is the work the artist dishes out to overcome the pain of them. I feel you, girl.

They end the album with “Beer Me Sucks” which is about Philadelphia's “most-hated band” named Beer Me. It’s an homage to drummer Adesola’s husband’s punk band. At Beer Me shows, people chant “Beer Me Sucks” in a lovingly punk manner. “It’s also about a show we played with Beer Me in New Jersey that was surreal as fuck,” Full Bush told me, “It was a fundraiser for a skateboarder at what was essentially a VFW.” It also has some lyrics about a bandmate’s break up as well. “So many racist comments and so many brawls. It was wild! Haha!” When I saw them play, they closed the set with this song and I was like holy shit. It is pure punk. Reminds me of Black Flag. Then it gets bluesy, with a hint of doom metal.



Ok, let’s take a moment to talk about the beauty behind the album art, and their name. The album’s neon colors bring you in, before you even get into the detail of the image to see what you’re actually looking at. Then you see a woman’s torso with blue skin, stubble on her legs, hands on hips. Then the blooming rose bush coming out of her pink and yellow striped bikini bottom. Feminist punk rock, right there.

“During the first night we hung out, we drunkenly talked about how there are double standards for the upkeep of women and men in heteronormative relationships,” Full Bush tells me the story behind their name. “How a man can let it all go, absolutely everything and still be considered sexy, wanted, and “rugged.” With women if we didn't shave/wax our legs, armpits, pubic region, etc we were letting ourselves go. We talked about not shaving our pubic region and having a Full Bush. If dudes didn't like it, well fuck it. It's cold outside, sometimes it's tiring to do all this shit, and we only do it for ourselves not for men anyway.” So true! I ALWAYS say this, and obviously, I’m not the ONLY female to think so.

“The next sober morning, we talked about it again and the name just stuck. We thought it was funny but there was something about it that clicked and we didn't fight it.” - Valley Show Girl

Full Bush’s Cassie O’Leary, Adesola Ogunleye, Kate Breish, and Jayne Rutter found themselves bonding one evening over drinks and their displeasures with the “double standards for the upkeep of women and men in heteronormative relationships.” And in the sobering daylight of the next morning, they knew that something had “clicked,” and another rad band name would find its way on venue calendars and throughout the Interweb. Blending the individual members’ diverse musical tastes also seems to be something else that clicked on the band’s debut self-titled album. Though you might have been already rockin’ out to their record since the summertime, Full Bush will be giving it a proper coming out party this Mischief Night at Johnny Brenda’s, supported by Corey Flood and Resilient. Don’t be lame - definitely dress up & check out our Featured Artist(s) interview with the whole gang HERE! - The Deli