Single Review: Kit Vale “Pet”

Maximalism is all the rage in 2022, but as of this writing, I don’t believe that I’ve come across another player in the burgeoning millennial movement towards harder melodies that has combined elements of this aesthetic with the insularity of modern punk quite as brilliantly as Kit Vale does in the new video for her single “Pet.” Blending a sense of urban surrealism with a smothering soundtrack that seems mixed with the sole intention of pressing against the speakers it’s being played out of might sound like a complicated scheme, but in this release, Vale makes it look pretty easy.

There’s definitely a Hole-esque element to “Pet” that feels almost ironically retro as if the artist is trying to poke fun at how modern many of her contemporaries are attempting to be, thus making themselves look and sound quite similar to the preceding generation of iconic players in the American underground.

It’s not all a joke about the state of music culture among alternative types, though; the fiery melodic substance of this single is defiantly strong from the jump, and with Vale’s blunt vocal serving as the centerpiece, you can rest assured that the poetic value of her other releases is just as hearty and powerful in this release as well.

A compelling listen from an artist with a lot of untapped but mad potential, there’s not a doubt in my mind that “Pet” has the right stuff to get people excited about Kit Vale’s music in 2022 and beyond. This is a transitional point in the history of rock n’ roll, but through the quick-witted songcraft (and, by extension of her videos, visual artistry) of an artist like this one, I think there shouldn’t be much of a debate as to the genuine excitement we deserve to feel about the future of quality underground rock music.

Jordan Raab