Down the Drain

"For the people who are from here and have been here for a long time, it’s common knowledge that D.C. has a great music scene. It seems like every week a new band pops up in our fertile scene, creating a powerful, original sound in a scene of powerful, original sounds. One of these is Bacchae, a post-punk quartet that has been on some of the best bills around town in the past year. With their debut record, Down the Drain, out in the world, you can expect to see Bacchae’s name even more, for it’s an album of expertly crafted, catchy post-punk jams that’s sure to catch the ear of anyone who listens. The band—comprised of vocalist/keyboardist Katie McD, bassist/vocalist Rena Hagins, drummer Eileen O’Grady, and guitarist Andrew Breiner—cull from a variety of genres on their debut album. Songs like “Dream Arena” and “Human Trash” evoke The Cure’s poppier era, while “Man and Machine” has a straight-up B-52s vibe. But at its core, Bacchae is an unapologetic, in-your-face punk band, and nothing showcases that better than “Sour,” with McD sing-screaming “L-E-M-O-N: I'm not the one to put the sugar on your tongue/ L-E-M-O-N: I'm not dumb—I didn't ask for your opinion.” Matt Cohen, Washington City Paper, July 2017 www.washingtoncitypaper.com/arts/article/20866572/to-do-today-bacchae-caravan-and-tedeschi-trucks-band