When reviewing Beth Seymour & The Lizzies last album ‘You Wouldn’t Like It Inside My head’ back in August this year, I wrote “An album that says so much more than it actually says, musically strong, lyrically so fucking brave it hurts at times, but so worth every second of your time. If this is the first, I for one can’t wait for number 2”, well that wait is already over, the new album and second chapter in the musical story along with it, is out on Nov 28th, now I get to hear it and give you the low down. The last album was just the beginning of the journey, a recovery from breakdown, the dark depths of despair, but then a coming to terms with a life of freedom from the chains holding Beth back, a new world opening up before her, and what it meant getting to the point of coming out as transgender. This latest album is the natural progression from that, an album that covers the recovery and moving on, what lies ahead when being who you really are becomes the new normal.  

The first thing that’s noticeable as you dive into the first track of this album ‘Jiminy Crickets’, is a tangible happiness to the music, a sense that the cloud has lifted, its still Pop Punk with attitude, but its aura feels happier, this song puts to bed the past, it sets the record straight, the person you hear now is and always will be Beth. The feeling of happiness continues in the next song ‘Sam Raimi’, which is a thank you song to Beth’s wife for all the support and sticking with her through thick and thin, a hand holding and looking into someones eyes, and knowing your safe kind of a song. There are a few surprises in this album compared to the last, along with the usual pop punk style that’s very along the lines of Laura Jane Grace & Brody Dalle in the most part. Then you get to a song like ‘Characters In A Film’ which cuts through just how real life would be so much easier if we had a script to follow, but we don’t and yet the drama still happens and has to be dealt with non the less. Musically though this is a leap away, for the most part its swing sound harks to the big screen scores and sits perfectly with its lyrical core, and breath of fresh air to see that Beth is willing to experiment, it also shows the confidence now surrounding her music.

One of the juxtapositions I find with Beths music is the almost bubblegum sound that’s uplifting and positive, yet lyrically it can be devastatingly frank, hard hitting and vulnerable all at the same time. ‘I Only Want To Break Your Heart’ has some interesting thoughts on how family and friends think turning away from who you really are will solve their dilemma on how to see you, yet putting yourself first should never be compromised on. ‘(Fearing) The World At Large’ is both vulnerable and emboldening all at the same time, its guitar riff and drum start has a sense of purposeful moving forward, and that’s how this song unfolds, it crescendos from fear of standing out to actually wanting be seen as the person who’s looking back at you with confidence. How do you end an album full of awakening and a positive rebirth, you play ‘Horse Girl’ an electric acoustic banger that even at less than a minute works perfectly, a freeing of the reigns that held you back, the word awaits. This is an album that slaps a big fat kiss on ya, before riding off into the sunrise of the day and screaming I’M HERE COME SAY HELLO! This is Trans at its most transformative and uplifting best.

Outside You’d Love Me To Death will be self released and on November 28th and can be pre-ordered here. You can find Beth Seymour & The Lizzies on Instagram

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