Ear Candy: Donkey – Cansei de ser Sexy

By Alex

For a band whose name translates from Portuguese to “tired of being sexy”, Cansei de ser Sexy sure brings a whole lot of it to the table. If you’re lucky enough to see them live, you’ll be treated to a colorful set, complete with frontwoman Lovefoxxx sporting neon spandex jumpsuits and grinding up on other band members (just watch their set at Glastonbury 2007 if you doubt me).

They took the indie-electronic scene by storm with their 2006 self-titled debut on Sub-Pop, Jonathon Poneman’s indie label. And now CSS, as their fans affectionately know them, are back with “Donkey”.

The album begins with the playful “Jager Yoga”, a typical CSS dance-inspiring number with fun lyrics. Next comes the sole moment of seriousness on the album, “Rat is Dead (Rage)”. With the chorus “He will never hurt you again”, one can’t help but imply some references to domestic violence and abuse within the electronic riffs and synthesized beats.

Following are a few more pop numbers and then comes my personal favorite track, “Left Behind”. A simple drum and synth beat resonate throughout the track, but the sassy lyrics Lovefoxxx spit are really what makes this one shine. Despite the upbeat tempo, when Lovefoxxx sings “The real is that you been lying /And no matter how hard I try /I won’t be able to forget this /’cuz this is very deep inside”, I can’t help but sympathize with her. This song is clearly about a cheating lover who broke her heart, but, in true CSS fashion, she accepts the fact, then decides to move on. She claims that she is “Gonna get my things back /Gonna get some fun, gonna drink ’til I pass out” and basically be a better person without him.

I admire the attitude she takes towards the breakup; instead of being a “woe-is-me” victim, she knows that he will regret leaving her. If there is one thing you can be sure about Lovefoxxx, it’s that she has guts.

Other standouts on the album are “Believe Achieve”, which is as close as CSS will ever get to a passionate love song and “How I Became Paranoid”, a tune about a potential relationship that ends with the line “Oh baby just call it off or call me crazy”, that I cannot help but completely relate to.

I fully recommend you pick up a copy of “Donkey”, on regular old CD, or better yet, for those of you lucky enough to own a turntable, on vinyl (available from the Sub-Pop website). To take a lyric from Donkey’s opener “Jager Yoga”, “Oh my god, it’s so hot.” CSS is on fire and I doubt anyone can put them out.