A Raw Youth

Lyrics and themes

The album examines themes of personal and social oppression.

"Shave the Pride" originated as a diatribe against Gender Bender's bearded lover hiding behind "masses of hair". After rewrites, the song's "outrage and frustration" became directed against society's "unwillingess to view all perceptions of [a] story... hiding behind the mass media."

"La Uva" (originally written for Bosnian Rainbows' 2nd LP) uses a symbol of grape to represent "a fragile being that can be stepped on. But, the ink from its body stains and is seen by other people."

"Sold Less Than Gold" was partially inspired by Gender Bender's trip to Iran. According to her, "the song was written with women from the Middle East in mind - women that were being sold from their family to strangers. Being raped and mutilated." It's about "women (...) sold into marriages or into sex slavery and how resilient their spirits are.”

"The Hitch Hiker" plays out a call-and-response between a hitchhiker and the man who picks her up. The situation escalates into kidnapping and murder.

"My Half" deals with "finding closure with the loss of an unjust death."

Reception

A Raw Youth received generally favorable reviews.

Consequence of Sound's Karen Gwee wrote that the album "marks Le Butcherettes’ triumphant entrance to the mainstream rock arena, accomplished with no compromise to their identity."

Track listing

All music and lyrics written by Teri Gender Bender.

Personnel

Le Butcherettes

Additional musicians

Production