Bad Self Portraits have never sounded more dangerous. Not because they’re loud. Not because they’re punk. But because they’re honest. “All Bark No Bite” is a track that could only have been written by someone who’s finally stopped lying to themselves.
There’s a lot of talk these days about “trauma-informed” art, but few bands actually get it right. This one does. The second single off their upcoming LP, I Think I’m Going to Hell, hits like a body memory. Every lyric sounds like it’s been tested in therapy and then brought into the studio for a final round of exorcism.
Ingrid Howell’s voice isn’t polished, and that’s the point. She’s not trying to be palatable. She’s trying to be real. When she sings about a mother who passed down blame like an heirloom, there’s no melodrama – just the steely quiet of a person who knows how deep that damage goes.
What elevates the track beyond confessional is the way the band builds around her. The guitars don’t posture. They pace. Jesse White’s drumming feels like it’s holding something in, mirroring the emotional restraint of someone who’s had to make peace with their own rage just to get through the day.
The album’s vinyl-first release via Buy Before You Stream adds another layer of intention. This isn’t music made to be consumed while scrolling. It’s meant to be played start to finish, the way you’d sit with a friend telling you something they’ve never said out loud before.
There’s no resolve at the end of “All Bark No Bite.” No sweet chorus that wraps it all up. But maybe that’s what makes it powerful. It doesn’t offer you comfort – it offers you clarity. And in a culture that rewards repression and rewards prettiness, that’s a radical act.