Throughout her time with Muncie Girls, Lande Hekt has never been afraid to take on all encompassing topics. Be it the burgeoning influence of the right wing or the looming threat of climate change, Muncie Girls have always been unabashed and pulled no punches when turning their ire on societyâs ills.
However, itâs in her solo work that Hekt bares her soul. Her debut LP, âGoing To Hellâ, is a deeply personal record in which she opens up about her sexuality, the environment in which homophobia sadly permeates, and the battle to be true to yourself. Sonically, it picks up where her 2019 EP, âGigantic Disappointmentâ, left off with infectious riffs and melodic vocal styles.
In opening track and lead single, âWhiskyâ, Hekt lays everything down on the table. In this intimate, warming song, she speaks of the internal struggles of coming to terms with being gay and how to process these thoughts. It comes with an uplifting sentiment in the message of community and simply being happy with the people around you.
âWhiskyâ is complimented by title track âGoing To Hellâ, an almost tongue-in-cheek title for an acoustic track attempting to convey the theory of conservatism from a gay personâs point of view. Hekt sings, âYouâre doing fine and youâre doing well, but the Catholics think youâre going to hellâ, in a light ribbing to the outdated views that still persist in a society we thought was open.
In between these excellent bookends, there are some real gems including âStrandedâ, in which Hekt addresses her desire to connect with her German roots while wandering the streets of Berlin. â80 Days of Rainâ is a rager on the lurking doom thatâs heading our way in the form of climate change, while âUndoneâ is an ode to reconnecting to that special someone that has drifted away.
âGoing To Hellâ shares a lot of similarities with Against Me!âs poignant âTransgender Dysphoria Bluesâ, in that both feel like an exercise catharsis. While they tell their stories of identity in wildly different manners, both share the same traits of reflection and, ultimately, happiness in accepting themselves, and that’s not to mention the lasting songs.
It shouldnât be any surprise from her work as part of Muncie Girls and as a solo artist that Hekt is capable of crafting such powerful tracks, and âGoing To Hellâ is just another excellent addition to her already stellar catalogue.
TOM WALSH