Destroy Boys is a punk-rock trio originally from Sacramento, now making their home in San Francisco. The band came together quite simply when Violet Mayugba (guitar, vocals) and Alexia Roditis decided whimsically that they should start a band. That proved to be a good decision. Since their beginnings, the band has moved from playing garages to sharing the stage with veterans like Face To Face and Lagwagon. Mayugba said, “California punk rock changed my life. It showed me exactly what I want to do and who I want to be.” That was a stroke of good fortune both for the band and its fans.
Open Mouth, Open Heart (Hopeless Records) is the band’s third album. The previous albums Make Room and Sorry, Mom were more primal both in sound and recording quality. Of the new album, Roditis said, “This album is just a lot more dynamic.There’s more guitars and leads.It has a wide range of genres and types of songs.” It doesn’t take long to realize that she’s right about that. The songs on this album range from power pop to raw punk and even an acoustic song.
Between the volume, vocals, and the energy, the first song “Locker Room Bully” brings Betty Blowtorch to mind. The lyrics include the line, “I’m gonna let it all go and draw my line in the sand because I’m really tired of being told who I am.” It’s the sort of line that people of all ages can identify with. Immediately after that line is an eruption of frantic energy and sound that seems to come from everywhere.
The band completely changes the mood with “La Peor”. Some songs have a distinct riot grrl sound. This one slows down the tempo and lowers the volume with just acoustic guitars and Spanish vocals. You don’t have to understand the lyrics to appreciate not only the song but also the fact that the band can move so easily from riot grrl sounds to this mellow cancion.
At the beginning of “Escape”, it seems like the song was inspired (like so many other songs) by the isolation felt from quarantine. “I want to escape. I want to play a show. I don’t want to be here in this house no more.” In the middle of the song, it’s revealed that this song is about more than just isolation due to a pandemic. It is a spoken-word part in which the narrator says that no one asks anyone but artists what their Plan B is. She goes on to say, “I could really do without ever hearing that question ever again.” If ever there was a statement that could inspire unanimous agreement among a group of people, that is it.
This is a band that is not shy about giving its opinions. “For What” begins with the lyrics, “You’re a pig with money stuffed in your mouth. I wish you could admit what the law is really about.” And that’s just one line. The whole song is one hard-hitting line after another including, “I’m done with politics. I just want peace. I’m sick of starving here down at your feet.” This song carries the old-time punk spirit of being opposed to authority and how unjust the whole system is.
Open Mouth, Open Heart by Destroy Boys is a punk album, not only in sound but also in attitude. After all, what’s more punk than following a mosh-worthy screamer with an acoustic song? The band was given the freedom to make the album they wanted, and they succeeded in doing that.
Photo credit: ASHLEY GELLMAN
