By Goitsimang Moshikaro
His arms are wrapped around her with a careful lift of his arms, and his hands hollow and clasped together not to get too close. She dazes off in his embrace but not deeply basking in reading, eyeing out her last words pooling in her gaping mouth. How would she put it? Behind them is the darkness of nightly love and the blankness of a hanging, wandering fate.
“Who Really Cares” is a sombre pop album by TV Girl that kinks and clanks with the combustible energy of the bests and bitters of young (teenage) love. This 2016 music project comes as their second studio album after the works of “French Exit”, which woos the loving image and fantasy of the moment of intimacies.
“An album about Sex
Or lack thereof
And its consequences
Or lack thereof."
- TV Girl’s Bandcamp
Though the same goes for "French Exit", "Who Really Cares" is an antithesis to the dream of love or whatever situation that word's slapped onto. "French Exit" is escapism, whilst the latter is escaping in itself.
We follow the perspective of TV Girl's persona, built and characterised by lyricist and vocalist Brad Petering, in the classic singing style of failed love and failing lovers. In "Taking What's Not Yours", TV Girl holds a playful, childish attitude as he boasts about his ex's belongings he holds onto. He doesn't seem open to change and is somewhat confident and concrete in his perspective. Throughout "Till You Tell Me To Leave", we're shown his stubbornness though he stands his ground to communicate in the relationship. This is a spark of character as he typically converses indirectly with his exes while speaking to the listener. in "Not Allowed", he still hasn't moved on, taking jabs at his ex's new partner.
"I hope you're still fine, and I hope we're still friends."
- Track 4 - “Not Allowed”
Although there is a clear female voice, this could also be him weakly yearning for a connection and redemption. In "For You", he speaks through his teeth of the lack of chemistry, commitment, and compensation through the poor dynamics in the relationship. It's an entitlement of nice-guy syndrome towards a nice girl, where man thinks he's entitled to date or have sexual relationships with women simply because he sees himself as a "good person." which has both sides seek and feel they're missing something. "For thinking sex was my salvation", striking at his sexual validation when he basks in the emotional intimacy of a leaving lover. It's a silent defeat from his struggle with words, as he never professed some genuine love.
"Not Allowed", alongside Cigarettes Out The Window, had a mainstream succession over TikTok, which is a first listen for many people. People extensively engaged with the song, from the lyrics and sample to the message and meaning. Sampling across the project gets the point across more bluntly as TV Girl beats around the bush. In its track placement, the song shares traits with other songs throughout. "Not Allowed" features samples of Yeastie Girlz's "You Suck", an oldie alike taken onto "For You", which strikes a sense of nostalgia for those that never lived it. They both share a sentiment of entitlement, yet calling out to break out of it. Like "Loving Machine", it has a tinge of pettiness mixed with vague remorse, and it is unclear if he's taking fault for the present. Then with "Safe Word", Brad staples the tropes and ideals of feminine purity and naivety amid male savagery. Taking "Heaven Is A Bedroom", it's unclear if he's in or out of that stage with awareness and detachment. It's tricky to pinpoint. "Not Allowed" simultaneously ventures through realisation, denial, and acceptance, and is an unresolved tantrum that never cooled. The distorted accordion loop at the outro is disastrous yet has a whimsy feel, just like the whole album. "Who Really Cares" is a roller coaster towards sobering up, with moments of tensing up and gradually fizzling down. "Do The Act (Like You Never Met Me)" shares playful spite alongside a jam-packed collision of feelings. It's so sweet, it's sour, so awful, it's fun.
"Not Allowed" is an iconic track with versatility and signature style in fleshing out a story, mood, and context-specific dimension. Upon first listening, this is how you can grasp the entire album and what to expect if you're interested in diving deeper into TV Girl's discography.