Lande Hekt – ‘Going To Hell’

By Tom Walsh

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 society’s ills.

However, it’s in her solo work that Hekt bares her soul. Her debut LP, ‘Going To Hell’, 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, ‘Gigantic Disappointment’, left off with infectious riffs and melodic vocal styles.

In opening track and lead single, ‘Whisky’, 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.

‘Whisky’ is complimented by title track ‘Going To Hell’, an almost tongue-in-cheek title for an acoustic track attempting to convey the theory of conservatism from a gay person’s point of view. Hekt sings, “You’re doing fine and you’re doing well, but the Catholics think you’re going to hell”, in a light ribbing to the outdated views that still persist in a society we thought was open.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 ‘Stranded’, in which Hekt addresses her desire to connect with her German roots while wandering the streets of Berlin. ‘80 Days of Rain’ is a rager on the lurking doom that’s heading our way in the form of climate change, while ‘Undone’ is an ode to reconnecting to that special someone that has drifted away.

‘Going To Hell’ shares a lot of similarities with Against Me!’s poignant ‘Transgender Dysphoria Blues’, 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 shouldn’t 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 ‘Going To Hell’ is just another excellent addition to her already stellar catalogue.

TOM WALSH

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