Traffic Jams: Chastity Belt – 'James Dean'

Chastity Belt – James Dean

I’ve been in a musical slump lately when it comes to finding new things to listen to, which means I’ve turned back to my playlists from 2016 and 2017 to revel in the comfort of my favorite music from college. And now we’re here, back in the land of Chastity Belt, one of my favorite all-woman acts.

No Regerts is yet another one of those albums that in my eyes, falls into the “first album, best album” category. It’s just one banger after another, with deep longing knitted in alongside cheap beer humor, which is an apt summation of my entire personality. As one Pitchfork reviewer noted, the album is about “how dumb the objects of your sexual desire can be; which parties suck, because of whom and what can be done about it; fucking and drugs, and how great and lousy both make you feel; the regressive fun to be had shouting the word ‘vagina.’” That about sums it up.

“James Dean” was the first Chastity Belt song to pop up on my Spotify Discover, so it always has a place in my heart. I remember singing along to this bad boy live during South by Southwest like my life depended on it, despite the fact that I was essentially a bored child with little life experience. Now I am a bored adult with little life experience, and I still vibe with the whole album. At the very least, it’s good for sweltering summer days and not-cold-enough cheap beer — and we’ve got plenty of both of those things here in Texas right now.