Teens In Trouble – What's Mine | Album Review
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Asian Man Records
When you think of North Carolina, what are some of the first things that come to mind? Most people would probably mention how the state’s passion for college basketball teams reaches a messianic level or how the delectable fried chicken and buttermilk biscuits from Bojangles just hit different. But what’s flying under the radar Wright-brothers-style is how influential The Tar Heel State is when it comes to indie music. The lineage started in the early 90s with noise rock acts like Archers of Loaf and Superchunk. Today, bands like Wednesday, MJ Lenderman, and Indigo De Souza have roared onto the scene, creating memorable albums that stick in your mind like super glue. Now, the newest contender to join these prestigious ranks is Raleigh resident Lizzie Killian and her band Teens in Trouble.
On their debut album, What’s Mine, Killian takes us on a blast from the past ride with a bevy of melodic hooks and heavy guitars. The record comes out the gates swinging with the fuzzy pop-punk hit “You Don’t Want To Mess With Me.” Enlisting Stefan Babcock of the band PUP, Killian sprinkles him throughout the track like a gourmet chef, adding in some extra seasoning through an assist on guitar and vocals on the chorus. She sends warning shots to a potential new love interest, singing, “And I know better than to ask the world of you / And don’t say I didn’t warn you.”
Fitting into everyday society is something that weighs heavily on Killian’s mind as she tries to navigate social norms throughout the album. She’s been trying to find her place since the start of the pandemic, and you soon start to see that this is a lifelong struggle. You can get a sense with each social faux pas she makes that Killian dies a little inside from embarrassment. In the uptempo jams “Awkward Girl” and “Autopilot,” she uses self-deprecation, calling herself “weird” and “annoying” as a tool trying to mask her destructive moments when out in public. She seeks comfort in isolation while finding peace within herself, repeating “I’ve got me / It’s just me” as a personal mantra. We know that she’s had her fair share of cringe-worthy moments throughout her life, but who among us hasn’t? We’ve all gotten to a point where something so embarrassing happens to us that we just want to curl up into a ball and die. Killian articulates the pain one feels like a seasoned veteran over groovy-sounding guitars.
Elsewhere, Killian crafts songs that make me wonder about the possibilities of time travel. Let’s say, hypothetically, it exists, and you got your grubby little hands on Doc Brown’s DeLorean. I’m jealous, by the way. If you took What’s Mine to every radio station in 1994, they wouldn’t even bat an eye at you… in fact, they’d probably thank you for bringing such a bounty of hooks to their airwaves. Killian is clearly a student of her craft because she has mastered the sound of the 90s with swirling guitars and cranked-up distortion aplenty. From the bright pop melodies to ample fuzz, when you drop the needle on What’s Mine, you’re liable to get transported back to a summer 30 years in the past without having to drive 88 mph to get there. Every Gen X person who sits at home starving for Blue-Era Weezer will be well-fed by “It’s Up To Me.” The riffs are so chunky and thrashing you would think Rivers Cuomo was playing guitar behind the curtain. The hook is simple yet gargantuan, culminating in the best song on the record.
Killian's love of music is apparent with each passing song, from her sonic inspirations to her natural ability to capture a moment in time. In the back half of the record, we discover that music is also a window into her soul. Anyone who’s ever made a playlist for a crush knows the rollercoaster of emotion that goes into it. The careful curation of each song, the nervous handoff, and (hopefully) the pure ecstasy you feel when they end up loving it. When it all goes well, it can feel like you just won the relationship lottery, and on “Playlist,” Killian wants to listen to every one of those songs you hold dear. Throughout the rapidly paced song, she brings a wired energy as she questions what songs you listen to when you cry, when you're high, or when you're dancing alone. Nick and Norah, eat your heart out.
Teens In Trouble’s brand of indie rock tugs at your emotions with in-your-face, passionate, direct lyricism. Killian creates a safe space through playful melodies and ageless guitar riffs that make going through the difficulties of finding your societal belonging not so burdensome. Her songs touch upon social anxiety, loneliness, and embarrassment in ways that can be used directly by the younger generation as a coming-of-age text. Killian confronting her struggles with self-acceptance on What's Mine shows that the growth process never stops even past your formative years. We’re lucky that she’s here to use her voice not only to help herself but also the teens who are actually in trouble.
David is a content mercenary based in Chicago. He's also a freelance writer specializing in music, movies, and culture. His hidden talents are his mid-range jump shot and the ability to always be able to tell when someone is uncomfortable at a party. You can find him scrolling away on Instagram @davidmwill89, Twitter @Cobretti24, or Medium @davidmwms.
