On “Can’t Be Still,” her first single since 2021, Illuminati Hotties’ Sarah Tudzin tackles the biggest demon of all: Ourselves.
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Stream: “Can’t Be Still” – Illuminati Hotties
Illuminati hotties albums are eclectically chaotic.
The “tenderpunk” band’s hyperactive approach means they rarely stick with one tempo for long, choosing instead to scramble from one hyperpop-punk banger to another. It’s a great listen that rarely gives space to breath, let alone relax. Sure, there are occasional slower moments, but there always seems to be some instrument being played at twice its speed.
So when newest single “Can’t Be Still” (May 2, 2024 via Hopeless Records) kicks in, with a steady drum beat and a melodic guitar riff, it’s instantly intriguing. After two bars, Sarah Tudzin’s distinct voice comes in, somehow urgent yet dreamlike, delivering a line that matches Illuminati Hotties’ style, but not this particular song: “I can’t be still, I can’t be.”
It’s a good descriptor for her life since Illuminati Hotties’ last album, 2021s Let Me Do One More: Mixing Cloud Nothing’s latest album, winning a Grammy for her work on Boygenius’ perfect album, and producing Guppy’s newest album. With the release of “Can’t Be Still” coming with a North American tour announcement, Tudzin isn’t slowing down anytime soon. Instead of being alone in her own head, she’d rather move and do, well, anything.
“I find that something I have in common with most people that I talk to lately is the immense fear of and inability to be alone with ourselves,” Tudzin explained in a statement. “Constant motion, avoidance, restlessness — anything to keep myself from stagnating have always been my coping mechanisms when my inner monologue starts to get loud.”
This sentiment is captured in her lyrics, which perfectly captures a day in the life of a hyper optimized person.
A power lunch
I take my calls in the car.
I pack a punch
A firm handshake can take you so far
I’m a rush
I’m double speed, straight to your head
The perfect stunt
Begging for bedlam on the reg’
While delivering in staccato sentences, her words’ relatability washes over us. The song’s calmness feels similar to the fake sense of control this efficiency gives us, the idea that by constantly moving we are somehow outrunning everything. Tudzin is using her music to tell a story, and the sonic differences to a regular Illuminati Hotties song feels symbolic of the distance from our real selves this running creates.
Ironically, this is all tied together on the chorus, where Tudzin finally falls apart. As the distorted guitars ramp up, so do her trademark anguished vocals:
Ah, ah, ah
Oh, when things are moving too slow
Ah, ah, ah
Oh, got places I wanna go
Ah, ah, ah
Ooh-oh-oh, I can’t be alone now
Show me how
It’s catchy and singable, but drenched in desperation. Gone are the claims of power and being in charge. Instead, it ends with a plea for help: “I can’t be alone now, show me how.” It’s a sentiment we all understand – and should probably say to each other more – but a far cry from the Adderall-fueled to-do list-crusher the song started with.
With every release, Illuminati Hotties get better.
Lyrically raw and musically adventurous, every song feels like a trip. Tudzin’s ability to play in music’s gray areas, to make the music say one thing and the lyrics say another is becoming her trademark.
“Can’t Be Still” is another great song in a discography with few busts: She just keeps getting better and better.
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Stream: “Can’t Be Still” – Illuminati Hotties
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© Shervin Lainez
© Shervin Lainez
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