“Still my favourite album today”: The Linda Lindas recommend five essential albums
Despite only forming in 2018, The Lindas Lindas have accrued quite the list of credits. Alongside playing with significant acts like Bikini Kill and Bratmobile, they have repurposed the fiery spirit of the 1990s riot grrrl movement and imbued it with a fresh, contemporary punk spirit. According to Sleater-Kinney’s Carrie Brownstein, the band is “unapologetic”, meaning they’ll likely withstand the test of time.
Comprising Bela Salazar, Lucia de la Garza, Eloise Wong, and Mila de la Garza, The Linda Lindas have cooked up quite the storm in recent years, most notably gaining widespread attention in May 2021 after a video of their performance of their anti-racism song ‘Racist, Sexist Boy’ went viral. “The song was to fight back against the racist, sexist boys, but we didn’t want to be the racist, sexist boys, so we changed the words,” Wong explained, noting how the song was born out of a harrowing experience at school.
Due to their confidence when approaching the tougher subjects, The Linda Lindas’ attitudes and general existence point to the importance of contemporary punk-leaning music. When discussing modern players in the punk, rock, and even grunge spaces, we’re often faced with whether the good music of old has died a death, but this band shuns any such sentiment. “We just say whatever we feel like saying in our songs and sometimes that happens to align with messages of feminism,” Lucia once said.
Although their influences stretch far and wide, the band also recognises that they wouldn’t be where they are now without the many bands that came before. So, they take every opportunity to speak about those who really motivate them to create great music. These are mostly artists who either match their energy and enthusiasm, or tackle similar themes of identity and empowerment—or both.
Discussing their five essential albums for WFUV, each member shared some insightful details about what makes them tick, and why certain albums hold a special place in their heart. For instance, Salazar chose Julieta Venegas’ Limón y Sal, an album that her mother used to play around the house and one that “inspired me when writing songs as it is still my favourite album today.”
For Mila, nothing really beats Best Coast’s Always Tomorrow, mostly because it feels like it’s always been in their lives. “[It] has so many catchy songs to sing along with at the top of your lungs. It all just makes me feel something, which I’m always trying to do when I write songs,” the musician explained. For Lucia, Jump Rope Gazers holds a similar appeal, and draws you in because it has “all of the emotions […] if you’re ever looking for a lost one.”
Most interestingly, when banding together, the group harmonises on opting for The Go-Go’s’ Beauty and the Beat purely because of how fun it is. “The Go-Go’s are so inspirational and awesome, and their music is so upbeat and fun to dance to. We’ve grown up listening to this album and still listen to it all the time!” they said. While most of their picks adopt an element of upbeat fun, they also hold varying levels of emotional complexity, much like the sound of the Linda Lindas themselves.
The Linda Lindas’ five essential albums:
- Limón y Sal – Julieta Venegas
- Always Tomorrow – Best Coast
- Jump Rope Gazers – The Beths
- Sister Dynamite – Alice Bag
- Beauty and the Beat – The Go Go’s
