Use Me

Better known under the stage name Lynn Gunn, singer Lyndsey Gerd Gunnulfsen is becoming an important LGBT figure on planet rock, with a strong possibility of becoming a headliner in the years to come. A band from Lowell, a Massachusetts town on the outskirts of Boston where the famous writer Jack Kerouac lived, PVRIS don’t reinvent the wheel; the melodic hooks and harmonic constructions put forward here have indeed been adopted by thousands of artists associated with pop and rock. Needless to say, Lynn Gunn and her colleagues have mastered these forms to perfection, otherwise we wouldn’t be wasting our time doing this review. What’s more, Use Me’s electronic ornaments contribute to the partial renovation of outdated forms; guitars, bass, drums, and keyboards are wrapped in effect pedals and hand-picked synthesizer sounds, giving this American band its own personality. The themes dear to the singer touch the whole of her generation, especially the growing number inclined to sexual fluidity. Despite their apparent musical conformism, PVRIS can therefore be considered a vehicle for change. Note that Use Me is the band’s last album recorded with guitarist Alex Babinski, who was fired following recent allegations of sexual misconduct.