Song of the Day: Childbirth - Will You Be My Mom?

Every Monday through Friday, we deliver a different song as part of our Song of the Day podcast subscription. This podcast features exclusive KEXP in-studio performances, unreleased songs, and recordings from independent artists that our DJs think you should hear. Today’s song, featured on the Afternoon Show with Kevin Cole, is “Will You Be My Mom?” by Seattle band Childbirth from the 2014 album It’s A Girl! on Help Yourself Records.

Childbirth – Will You Be My Mom? (MP3)

The all-female trio, Childbirth, call themselves a supergroup. Well, it takes a supergroup to get away with the type of silly-serious songwriting displayed on their 2014 record It’s A Girl! Composed simply of drums, bass and guitar, this threesome comprised of members of Tacocat, Pony Time and Chastity Belt knows how to get bodies in motion! It’s A Girl! is a 10-track, 17-minute album with only three songs topping even two minutes. If labor takes hours (or even days!), it's no labor to get through this quick, bursty record. With lines like “I only fucked you as a joke / oh, I hope I’m not pregnant!” and “I don’t get it / how do girls even have sex?” the album dances between the lightness and the shadows of female pressures with such charm.

Childbirth – comprised of Julia Shapiro, Bree McKenna and Stacy Peck – also have a knack for quick, punchy riffs and lovable vocal hooks. On “Will You Be My Mom?” there’s a call and response that’s both fun and haunting. “Can you do French braids – Mom? / Will you be my maid – Mom?” You get the sense that with these songs there is a catharsis going on too, with the band members purging the frustrating duties and obligations that many women deal with, while still maintaining a sense of humor to keep everything together. It all ends up triumphant and tantalizing!

Childbirth doesn’t have any gigs slated at this time, but you can check out their Facebook page for more information and go to their Bandcamp page to stream their full album. For now, watch their video for “I Only Fucked You As A Joke” here: