Black Dresses

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Black Dresses
OriginToronto, Canada[1]
GenresNoise pop, electro-industrial
Years active
  • 2017-2020
  • 2021-present
Members
  • Devi McCallion
  • Ada Rook

Black Dresses were a Canadian noise pop duo consisting of Ada Rook and Devi McCallion.[2][3] Their debut album, Wasteisolation, was released independently in 2018. The duo released three additional albums, Thank You (2019), Love and Affection for Stupid Little Bitches (2019), and Peaceful as Hell (2020), before breaking up in 2020. Despite no longer being a band, Black Dresses have released two additional albums, Forever in Your Heart (2021) and Forget Your Own Face (2022).

History

2018-2019: Wasteisolation, Thank You, and Love and Affection for Stupid Little Bitches

Black Dresses was formed in 2017 by self-taught musicians Ada Rook and Devi McCallion after Rook sent McCallion a beat on Twitter.[4] They released their first single, a cover of M.I.A.'s "Paper Planes", in December 2017.[5]

The duo released their debut album, Wasteisolation, in April 2018.[6] The album was created entirely through online collaboration, with McCallion based in Toronto and Rook in Vancouver.[7] Wasteisolation received positive coverage by Noisey,[8] Stereogum[9] and The Fader who called it "a raw, abrasive, and deliriously catchy album about surviving as trans women in an antagonistic world."[7] This was followed shortly by the EP Hell Is Real, released in October of the same year.[10] The EP featured in Stereogum's Best EPs of 2018 list,[11] with the duo also featuring in the publication's list of best new artists.[12]

In February 2019, Black Dresses released their second studio album, Thank You.[13] In May, they released Dreams Come True 2019, a remix EP consisting of new versions of several Wasteisolation tracks.[14] The band released their third studio album, Love and Affection for Stupid Little Bitches in August 2019.[15] The album was reviewed positively, with Pitchfork's Colin Joyce awarding an album a rating of 7.7,[3] and Noisey including the record on its "22 Best Albums You May Have Missed in 2019" list.[16]

2020: Peaceful as Hell and breakup

In March 2020, a full-length animated video for the Wasteisolation track "Nausea" was released. On 13 April 2020, the second anniversary of Wasteisolation's release, Black Dresses released their fourth LP, Peaceful as Hell.[17] The album received a rating of 7.6 from Pitchfork, with Leah Mandel stating, "Especially with the world's hellishness currently blaring at us, every social disparity spotlighted and exacerbated, loneliness and doubt deepened to an extreme degree, Peaceful as Hell is perfect medicine".[2]

The duo announced via Twitter on May 26, 2020, that Black Dresses would be disbanding, citing the harassment received by McCallion as the reason.[18] The band's music was also temporarily taken off streaming services.[19] On 10 July 2020, after the duo disbanded, a remix of 100 Gecs song, "745 Sticky", was released on the remix album 1000 Gecs and the Tree of Clues. On 21 December 2020, the duo released a single with ESPer99 titled "World Peace", recorded in 2019.[20] McCallion and Rook also released solo music under the names Girls Rituals and Ada Rook respectively.[7]

2021-present: Forever In Your Heart and Forget Your Own Face

On February 14, 2021, the duo released their fifth studio album, Forever in Your Heart, announcing it 30 minutes prior to its release. Despite the release, the group stated "We're no longer a band unfortunately. Regardless, we've decided to keep putting out music."[21] Ten days later, Backxwash announced the tracklist for her album I Lie Here Buried with My Rings and My Dresses, which was to feature Rook and McCallion on separate tracks,[22] although after tracklist changes McCallion did not appear on the album.

In August 2021, Black Dresses' music returned to streaming services.[23] In December 2021, Black Dresses appeared on the holiday compilation album Christmasasaurus X2 with their version of the song "We Are Children of the Light" by Eugene O'Reilley.[24][25]

On February 14, 2022, the duo released their sixth studio album, Forget Your Own Face, exactly one year after their previous album released, to overall positive reception.[26] Hannah Jocelyn on Pitchfork stated: "For a band that often writes about internalized shame and self-loathing, the resentment at the heart of this record feels more outwardly pointed."[27] On September 30, 2022, the duo released a cover of the Scene Queen's "Pink Panther".[28]

Band members and solo work

Ada Rook

Rook releases music under her own name, as well as her side project crisis sigil. She is also a member of the duo rook&nomie in addition to Black Dresses.[29] In 2022, Ada Rook released an album titled Ugly Death No Redemption Angel Curse I Love You, featuring ESPer99.[30] The album was reviewed by Anthony Fantano, who gave it a 7/10 score.[31] The album includes samples of the 2007 anime Ice.[32] Ada Rook and Ash Nerve created a duo group, Angel Electronics in 2022, releasing two singles: One Thousand and One Nights and The Secret Teachings of All Ages.[33]

Devi McCallion

McCallion has released music online since at least 2012, under her own name as well as several different aliases. As Girls Rituals, she has released three studio albums, Reddishness (2015), EMERGENCY! (2017), Crap Shit (2020),[34] and an EP, Cow (2021).[35] McCallion also has 2 albums under the alias 'Cats Millionaire': Fun Fun Fun (2013), and I'm So Sorry (2012), as well as 2 under the alias 'Anarchy 99': Anarchy 99 (2021), and Rockstar Super Heat (2021). She also created two collaboration albums with Katie Dey: Some New Form of Life (2018), and Magic Fire Brain (2020).

She released her first album 1998 under the alias 'EAT BABIES' in 2006, and released Meow in 2011.[36][37][38][39]

She has been a member of several side-projects over the years, including "The Various Endeavors?", where she was listed as an official member of the band alongside longtime friend and collaborator, John Bevier [visual-artist/experimental-musician].[40] She co-produced most of the band's music from 2007 to 2010. She is seen pictured and cartoon-depicted on the project's bandcamp page.[41]

Discography

Albums

EPs

References

  1. ^ Zetko, Teodor (18 March 2019). "Souls are as frigid as their music: Toronto's newest noise-pop duo Black Dresses". CFMU-FM. Retrieved 28 April 2020.
  2. ^ a b Mandel, Leah (24 April 2020). "Black Dresses: Peaceful As Hell". Pitchfork. Retrieved 28 April 2020.
  3. ^ a b Joyce, Colin (31 August 2019). "Black Dresses: Love And Affection For Stupid Little Bitches". Pitchfork. Retrieved 28 April 2020.
  4. ^ Mertens, Max (16 January 2019). "The sound of Toronto right now". NOW Toronto. Retrieved 28 April 2020.
  5. ^ a b "LETHAL POISON FOR THE SYSTEM". 21 December 2017. Retrieved 9 April 2021.
  6. ^ Rettig, James (13 April 2018). "Stream Black Dresses WASTEISOLATION". Stereogum. Retrieved 28 April 2020.
  7. ^ a b c Geffen, Sasha (1 June 2018). "The addictive power of Black Dresses's dark, delirious noise pop". The Fader. Retrieved 28 April 2020.
  8. ^ Joyce, Colin (20 July 2018). "40 Essential Albums You Probably Missed So Far in 2018". Noisey. Retrieved 28 April 2020.
  9. ^ Rettig, James (6 June 2018). "The 50 Best Albums Of 2018 So Far". Stereogum. Retrieved 28 April 2020.
  10. ^ Rettig, James (15 October 2018). "Stream Black Dresses' New HELL IS REAL EP". Stereogum. Retrieved 28 April 2020.
  11. ^ Rettig, James (5 December 2018). "25 Great EPs From 2018". Stereogum. Retrieved 28 April 2020.
  12. ^ Tully Claymore, Gabriela (29 October 2018). "Stereogum's 40 Best New Bands Of 2018". Stereogum. Retrieved 28 April 2020.
  13. ^ Rettig, James (5 February 2019). "Stream Black Dresses' New Album THANK YOU". Stereogum. Retrieved 28 April 2020.
  14. ^ "DREAMS COME TRUE 2019". Bandcamp.
  15. ^ Rettig, James (1 August 2019). "Stream Black Dresses' New Album LOVE AND AFFECTION FOR STUPID LITTLE BITCHES". Stereogum. Retrieved 28 April 2020.
  16. ^ Joyce, Colin (24 December 2019). "The 22 Best Albums You May Have Missed in 2019". Noisey. Retrieved 28 April 2020.
  17. ^ Rettig, James (13 April 2020). "Stream Black Dresses' New Album Peaceful As Hell". Stereogum. Retrieved 28 April 2020.
  18. ^ @BlackDresses666 (26 May 2020). "Announcement" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
  19. ^ Hatfield, Amanda (26 May 2020). "Black Dresses "will no longer exist," following alleged TikTok drama; music taken off streaming services". BrooklynVegan. Retrieved 18 August 2021.
  20. ^ Gregory, Alice (21 December 2020). "Black Dresses Return with New Single "World Peace"". Exclaim!. Retrieved 21 December 2020.
  21. ^ Breihan, Tom (15 February 2021). "Black Dresses Are Still Broken Up, But They Just Released A New Album Anyway". Stereogum. Retrieved 16 February 2021.
  22. ^ Bobkin, Matt (24 February 2021). "Backxwash Gets clipping., Black Dresses, Sad13 for Upcoming Album". Exclaim!. Retrieved 3 March 2021.
  23. ^ "music back on streaming". Twitter. 8 August 2021. Archived from the original on 18 August 2021. Retrieved 18 August 2021.
  24. ^ Rettig, James (14 December 2021). "Black Dresses – "We Are Children Of The Light"". Stereogum. Archived from the original on 14 December 2021. Retrieved 26 December 2021.
  25. ^ "New Songs Out Today". BrooklynVegan. 24 December 2021. Archived from the original on 14 December 2021. Retrieved 26 December 2021.
  26. ^ Gregory, Allie (15 February 2022). "Black Dresses Drop New Album 'Forget Your Own Face'". Exclaim!. Retrieved 15 February 2022.
  27. ^ Jocelyn, Hannah (1 March 2022). "Black Dresses: Forget Your Own Face". Pitchfork. Retrieved 25 June 2022.
  28. ^ "23 New Songs Out Today". BrooklynVegan. 30 September 2022. Retrieved 6 October 2022.
  29. ^ "rook&nomie". Bandcamp. Retrieved 15 February 2022.
  30. ^ "Ugly Death No Redemption Angel Curse I Love You, by Ada Rook". Ada Rook. Retrieved 2 June 2022.
  31. ^ "Ada Rook - Ugly Death No Redemption Angel Curse I Love You". The Needle Drop. 31 May 2022. Retrieved 24 July 2022.
  32. ^ (Almost) all Ice samples in Ugly Death No Redemption Angel Curse I Love You (Suggestive + Violent), retrieved 4 June 2022
  33. ^ "Angel Electronics". Spotify. Retrieved 31 July 2022.
  34. ^ Rettig, James (17 May 2020). "Stream Girls Rituals' New Album Crap Shit". Stereogum. Retrieved 15 February 2022.
  35. ^ Rettig, James (16 November 2021). "Stream Girls Rituals' New Cow EP". Stereogum. Retrieved 15 February 2022.
  36. ^ "blacksquares reserve - YouTube". www.youtube.com. Retrieved 8 March 2022.
  37. ^ "Magic Fire Brain, by Devi McCallion & Katie Dey". Devi McCallion. Retrieved 8 March 2022.
  38. ^ "Rockstar Super Heat, by Anarchy 99". Devi McCallion. Retrieved 8 March 2022.
  39. ^ "I'm So Sorry, by Cats Millionaire". Devi McCallion. Retrieved 8 March 2022.
  40. ^ "John Bevier (@johnbevier_) • Instagram photos and videos".
  41. ^ "The Various Endeavors?, by the Various Endeavors?".
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