Michelle Buzz and Lance Shipp make self-professed "maximalist pop" under the stage name Haute & Freddy. The duo has been building buzz lately, and today, their debut album is here.
As you can probably gauge from their band photos, which feature the two artists in ostentatious regal costumes and settings, the sound of Big Disgrace is huge and colorful, pulling extensive inspiration from '80s synth pop. Chappell Roan, Carly Rae Jepsen, and Lady Gaga are key forebears here in terms of converting those retro sounds into sparkling modern pop with irrepressible personality.
For Buzz and Shipp, who have worked for years as industry songwriters, the album represents a chance to channel their professional acumen into something a little stranger and less reined-in than they get to make for other artists. "Big Disgrace is all the eccentric, over-the-top parts of ourselves we thought we had to hide, on full display," they explain in a press release. "Like a sonic topless shimmy where said shimmier holds direct eye contact with the one person in the room giving a judgmental scowl."
Speaking of judgmental scowls: Opening track "Symphony For A Queen" was a barrier to entry for me and several of my coworkers. The song leans so far into musical theater that it gives a false impression of what's to come. Maybe you'll love it, but if you don't, I encourage you to press forward into "Anti-Superstar" and enjoy the rest from there — because Big Disgrace offers a lot to enjoy. Dig into it below.
Big Disgrace is out now via Atlantic.
