''Make Yr Life'' is the fourth album by the American lesbian
queercore
Queercore (or homocore) is a cultural/social movement that began in the mid-1980s as an offshoot of the punk subculture and a music genre that comes from punk rock. It is distinguished by its discontent with society in general, and specifical ...
band
the Butchies
The Butchies were an all-female punk rock band from Durham, North Carolina, that existed from 1998 to 2005. They reunited from their hiatus to tour with Amy Ray of the Indigo Girls promoting Ray's new album in 2010. The frequent focus of their ...
, released in 2004. It was the band's final album.
Production
The album was produced by Greg Griffith; the band worked for two and half years on the songs, and spent 10 days recording them. The Butchies set out to make a poppier album.
The band had been playing "17" in concert for years, and recorded the song after it had become a fan favorite.
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Critical reception
''The Washington Post
''The Washington Post'' (also known as the ''Post'' and, informally, ''WaPo'') is an American daily newspaper published in Washington, D.C. It is the most widely circulated newspaper within the Washington metropolitan area and has a large nati ...
'' thought that "such thumping new songs as 'Trouble' and 'She's So Lovely' demonstrate that the band has lost none of its swagger, but overall this disc is the band's poppiest outing." '' The Advocate'' declared that "Kaia Wilson, Melissa York, and Alison Martlew are undisputed masters of the two- to three-minute power-punk anthem." The ''Orlando Sentinel
The ''Orlando Sentinel'' is the primary newspaper of Orlando, Florida, and the Central Florida region. It was founded in 1876 and is currently owned by Tribune Publishing Company.
The ''Orlando Sentinel'' is owned by parent company, '' Tribune P ...
'' concluded that "even when the lyrics lean toward melodrama, Wilson's slashing guitar combines with the rumbling rhythms of bassist Alison Martlew and drummer Melissa York to make words inconsequential."[
The '']Chicago Reader
The ''Chicago Reader'', or ''Reader'' (stylized as ЯEADER), is an American alternative weekly newspaper in Chicago, Illinois, noted for its literary style of journalism and coverage of the arts, particularly film and theater. It was founded by a ...
'' wrote that "though York’s stick work is still hard and nimble, ''Make Yr Life'' feels a bit less punk than the Butchies’ first three records, as if they were dialing it back to show off their songwriting–which is chewier than ever." ''The Morning Call
''The Morning Call'' is a daily newspaper in Allentown, Pennsylvania. Founded in 1883, it is the second longest continuously published newspaper in the Lehigh Valley, after ''The Express-Times''. In 2020, the newspaper permanently closed its Al ...
'' determined that "where some may have turned to a cover of The Outfield's 'Your Love' for its nostalgic value, The Butchies make it their own, providing the album with a sexually heated closing track that is deliriously dramatic."AllMusic
AllMusic (previously known as All Music Guide and AMG) is an American online music database. It catalogs more than three million album entries and 30 million tracks, as well as information on musicians and bands. Initiated in 1991, the databas ...
wrote that "the band's quiet, drastic reworking of the Outfield's 1985 pop hit 'Your Love' just may be the cover version of the year."
Track listing
All songs composed by the Butchies, except as noted.
#"Send Me You"
#"Trouble"
#"Make Yr Life"
#"Second Guess"
#"She's So Lovely"
#"Everything + Everywhere"
#"17"
#"Lydia"
#"Tell the Others"
#" Your Love" (John Spinks)
References
{{Authority control
2004 albums
The Butchies albums
Queercore albums