Billy Carter’s Don’t Push Me is a departure, or maybe an evolution, from the sound that made them originally a mainstay of the punk and rock scene in South Korea. While many songs on this album display their punk and blues roots that I originally knew this band for, it combines those sounds with more of a psychedelic rock and post-punk sound and energy. This synthesis of sounds and energies creates an angry yet bouncy album that hits from all over the place.

The lyrics on this album take an unapologetic look at violence towards women, misogynistic ideas of society, fears of alternative lifestyles, and the way society shuns and ignores those different then them. Yet somehow it displays this anger and judgement in a way that is strangely fun and at times danceable.

Once song that most displays this duplicitous nature is the third song on this album “Beat Up.” It speaks to how violence has been directed at the singer since childhood in the form of her father, boys around her, teachers at her school, ex-boyfriends, and other strange men. While it draws attention to how violence towards women is still prevalent in society, it also has a solid groove in the bass and guitar, and an almost modern pop sensibility when the wood block comes in making the listener want to dance.

“I See You” is another song on that has a strong message in which the singer takes an ironic point of view as an authoritative figure in her society that tries to ignore, diminish, and tries to heal people that don’t fit into what is the “standard” or Christian view of society. The tone and point of view on this song comes across almost playful and with a sharp call out to society in the title and last line in the song. Throughout the whole song the bass line and palm muted guitar riff will have your head bobbing to the music.

While the guitar riffs on this album at times can feel a little repetitive or long, I enjoy that the album challenges the listener and I feel like the lyrics and places the songs go held my attention and interest through the whole album, even on repeated listens. This is definitely an album that made it to my standard rotation since I received it.