Three Kims inspired the name of L.A. up-and-comers Kim Theory: Deal, Gordon and Shattuck. On the band’s debut EP, Bitch Scene, you can hear the influence of all three indie icons. The punk spirit of The Muffs lives on “Child Star Teenybopper,” where the legacy classic Pixies albums, as well as the Breeders, echo on “GrowingUp” and a noise rock dirge reminiscent of Bad Moon Rising Sonic Youth opens “Wish You Were.”
Kim Theory’s own story begins when Audrey Cymone, Lula Seifert and Zoey Su were in middle school, which wasn’t all that long ago. Cymone and Seifert performed one cover from each of the famed Kims for Seifert’s Women’s History Month school assembly. Su, who was in the crowd that day, recalls one kid proclaim, “Oh my god, they’re playing Sonic Youth!” when the girls busted out a cover of “Kool Thing.”
When the trio eventually started a band, they decided to keep the name of what had been a one-off school project. They formed a little over a year ago, playing shows with various bassists until they met Lucy Fraser. “I was playing with a different band at the time and they poached me,” says Fraser. Soon, they ventured to Kitten Robot Studios, where the quartet recorded with Paul Roessler (Screamers, 45 Grave).
On Bitch Scene, Kim Theory packs an album’s worth of energy and attitude into just four songs. The EP opens with “He Said She Said” a songwriting collaboration between Seifert and her sister Sophie. “She’s older than me so when she shows interest in what I’m doing, it’s like, oh, she likes me!” says Seifert. “Even though we’re super close, still, sometimes, it feels like that. We wrote that together, which was a great experience because it got me closer to her.”
“Child Star Teenybopper” began with Cymone aiming for an Avril Lavigne vibe, although it took a different, more raw, sonic shape. “You know how sometimes people can irk you and you have no good reason for that, but that’s just how you feel and you can’t do anything about it,” she says. “It’s sort of about that. It’s about when people take themselves too seriously and they can’t be silly and fun.” It’s also partially inspired by encounters that Cymone, who is an actor, has had in young Hollywood circles.
“Wish You Were,” which began with a jam session, has become popular in the band’s circle. “That’s a crowd favorite,” says Su. Meanwhile, the drummer cites “Growing Pains,” the album’s closer, as a personal favorite for the song’s message. “It’s kind of about that weird spot when you’re growing up and you don’t really know who you’re becoming and you’re not sure if your past self would like who you are now,” she explains.
“Growing Pains” centers around a chorus that Seifert and Su wrote in middle school and set aside. “Last year we were trying to write a song and were like what can we use? We didn’t want to just start from scratch,” says Seifert. “Zoey was like, what about this chorus that we wrote in middle school? Then we built on from it.”
Leading up to the EP release, the band has been playing at least once a month, typically at house parties/shows and all ages venues. A gig at The Smell, downtown’s long-running DIY space, last summer proved to be one of their most memorable. That night, the quartet wore pink, party dresses— Su’s got caught in her hand and she consequently ripped out pieces of tulle as she drummed— inside the notoriously warm venue.
“When we went to Denny’s afterwards, I looked in the mirror, and I was drenched,” says Su.
“But that’s just part of the fun,” Seifert adds. “That was one of my favorite shows to play and it’s my favorite place to watch shows.”
Kim Theory will be celebrating the release of Bitch Scene on Saturday, November 15, with a gig at Pasadena all age venue Backyard Party. Expect a party— “crazy outfits” are encouraged— and plan to arrive early. The show starts at 7 p.m. and the $5-8 tickets are only sold at the door. For more info, head to Backyard Party’s website.
Get Bitch Scene by Kim Theory.
Liz O. is an L.A.-based writer and DJ. Follow on Instagram or sign up for the weekly, Beatique newsletter for updates on new stories and gigs.
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