There are three reasons why I don’t like ‘Nazi Girls’ by Poppy and the Jezebels (whose band members, the press release gleefully tells us, are all 14-15 years old).
(i) I’m a humourless git with little appreciation of post-modern irony (ii) I can smell a third rate publicity campaign a mile off (iii) I actually remember too well the Nazi salutes I faced as a kid to be impressed by a bunch of pretentious wannabes trying on the whole fascist shtick to make themselves look cool.
Oh, there’s a fourth reason. The song’s crap. Bored mockney vocals over chug-a-long pub rock complete with aid raid sirens and ‘left-right left-right’ background shouting.
Actually, I’ve made it sound quite good, in a kitsch kind of way, but it’s not.
And here’s the thing – the B-side is lovely – a piece of piano-led, Hunkydoryish, kitchen-sink indie that wouldn’t be out of place on an early John Cale completely ignored by the management in an infantile desire to appear naughty with ‘Nazi Girls’.
Girls, you can do the BNP paedo thing if it makes you feel clever, but here’s a suggestion for a new publicity gimmick – four young friends in a band who love music and write great songs. It’s your call.