Peaches is primarily known as a purveyor of transgressive, sex positive anthems that have no room for shame whatsoever. This is just as it should be, although her music might not be for the easily offended, and her seventh album is not only one of her best, but possibly her most audacious too.
No Lube So Rude is packed with hardcore punk attitude, biting sarcasm, raw electroclash grooves and is blatantly sexually explicit throughout. Seemingly, as she stares down the barrel of her sixties, Merrill Nisker feels no need to veer towards the middle of the road, declaring herself “a horny little fucker and I’ll bring you to your knees” on “Fuck Your Face” and “a woman in control of all her holes” on “Panna Cotta Delight” – which suggests that this is an album that won’t be getting much daytime radio play either. Not that I suspect she’ll be too bothered by that, as she howls “I never give a fuck” on “Fuck How You Wanna Fuck”.
Peaches also feels no need to gently ease listeners into her world, as opening track, “Hanging Titties” is unrestrained from its opening bars with its harsh groove and hysterically funny lyrics. There’s certainly no slowing down after this bracing beginning either. Peaches is clearly keen to keep it up right through to the fade out of the Gothic electro-pop “Be Love” and does so with gusto.
No Lube So Rude is no hollow shock rock attempt to wind up the squares with nothing to say though. These sleazy sounds are all about having a voice, no matter how far from the mainstream individuals might find themselves, while flying an unapologetic queer and feminist flag in a society that is keen to silence those viewpoints. In fact, after almost a decade of silence, this album is a fine return to form for Peaches and is nothing short of a musical battle standard for those refusing to conform to society’s bland expectations.
