Growing Up

Growing Up is the first album by the Linda Lindas, released on April 8, 2022, by Epitaph Records. Produced by Carlos de la Garza, father of band members Lucia and Mila, the album was recorded in Los Angeles from June to October 2021. It's a punk rock album with lyrics about growing up and teenage anxieties, written during the COVID-19 pandemic, which made it hard for the band to work together.

The album received mostly positive reviews and appeared on several year-end lists in 2022. It reached number 19 on Billboards US Top Album Sales chart and also charted in Japan and the UK. The singles "Oh!", "Nino", "Growing Up", and "Talking to Myself" were promoted with music videos featuring guest appearances from skateboarder Ray Barbee and Bikini Kill's Kathleen Hanna. To support the album, The Linda Lindas toured in late 2022 with Japanese Breakfast, Bacchae, and Yeah Yeah Yeahs.

 Background 
The Linda Lindas formed in 2018 as a part of a pickup band for Kristin Kontrol. The band's name comes from the 2005 Japanese film Linda Linda Linda, which was inspired by the Blue Hearts' song "Linda Linda." The group consists of Bela Salazar (guitar), Eloise Wong (bass guitar), Lucia de la Garza (guitar), and Mila de la Garza (drums).

The band began as a cover band, playing songs by groups like the Go-Go's and Le Tigre. They released their first extended play (EP), The Linda Lindas, independently in December 2020. In 2019, they opened for Bikini Kill, which led to an appearance in Amy Poehler's 2021 film Moxie. The band also released an EP with covers of Bikini Kill's "Rebel Girl" and the Muffs' "Big Mouth."

In May 2021, a video of them performing "Racist, Sexist Boy" at a library event went viral, earning praise from musicians like Tom Morello, Flea, and Kathleen Hanna. Shortly after, on May 22, Epitaph Records announced they had signed the band.

 Writing and recording 
Most of Growing Up was written during the COVID-19 pandemic, which made it difficult for the Linda Lindas to write together. They attended school remotely and wrote about their "feelings of loneliness and confusion." While "Oh!" was written by the whole band, many songs were written by just one or two members. Mila de la Garza wrote "Racist, Sexist Boy" after experiencing racism for the first time during the pandemic.

The album was recorded and mixed at Carlos de la Garza's backyard studio, Music Friends, from June to October 2021.

 Composition 
Growing Up features 10 regular songs, with a bonus cover of the Blue Hearts' "Linda Linda." Each band member contributed to the songwriting. The album's themes include growing up, finding oneself, and the anxieties of being a teenager. Critics have described the music as punk rock, pop-punk, and power pop, with some comparisons to riot grrrl.

 Art 
The album cover features a photograph of paper dolls, designed by Eloise Wong to represent the band members as cats. The photo was taken by Zen Sekizawa, a friend of the band. Cutouts resembling the album cover were included in the vinyl pressings of the album.

 Release and promotion 
Growing Up was released on April 8, 2022, by Epitaph Records. The album spawned four singles: "Oh!", "Nino", "Growing Up", and "Talking to Myself." Each single was accompanied by a music video, with guest appearances from skateboarder Ray Barbee and Bikini Kill's Kathleen Hanna.

In support of the album, The Linda Lindas embarked on a tour from June to October 2022, performing with Japanese Breakfast, Bacchae, and Yeah Yeah Yeahs.

 Reception 

Growing Up received generally favorable reviews. On Metacritic, it holds a score of 80 out of 100, based on 10 critic reviews. The album was praised for its catchy and fun music, though some critics debated the quality of its production. It also appeared on several year-end lists in 2022.

 Year-end lists 
+Rankings for Growing UpPublicationAccoladeRankAlternative PressThe 55 best albums of 2022*BillboardThe 50 best albums of 2022 so far*Good Morning America50 best albums of 202238Kerrang!The 50 best albums of 202248LoudwireBest Rock + Metal Debut Albums of 2022*NMEThe 25 best debut albums of 2022*No RipcordThe 50 best albums of 202234PunknewsSamantha B's Picks: Top 10 LP's of 20227Rolling StoneBest Music of 2022 (Lisa Tozzi)7Tape OpThe Rest of the Best List 2022*Under the RadarTop 100 Albums of 202241(*) denotes an unranked list

 Tracks 
 "Oh!" (Lucia de la Garza, Mila de la Garza, Bela Salazar, Eloise Wong) – 2:35
 "Growing Up" (L. Garza) – 3:06
 "Talking to Myself" (M. Garza) – 2:22
 "Fine" (Wong) – 2:02
 "Nino" (Salazar) – 1:49
 "Why" (Wong) – 2:19
 "" (Salazar) – 3:13
 "Remember" (L. Garza) – 3:39
 "Magic" (L. Garza, M. Garza) – 2:36
 "Racist, Sexist Boy" (M. Garza, Wong) – 1:49

Bonus edition

 "Linda Linda" (Hiroto Kōmoto) – 2:34

 Personnel 
Credits are adapted from the liner notes of Growing Up.

 The Linda Lindas 
 Bela Salazar – guitar, vocals
 Eloise Wong – bass guitar, vocals
 Lucia de la Garza – guitar, vocals
 Mila de la Garza – drums, percussion, vocals

 Other musicians 
 Lil' Dude – piano on "Nino"

 Technical 
 Carlos de la Garza – producer, engineer, mixer
 Dave Cooley – mastering
 Sergio Chavez – engineer
 Matt Maroalakos – engineer
 Alec Wingfield – engineer

 Artwork 
 Wendy Lau – design
 Eloise Wong – cover paper art
 Zen Sekizawa – cover photo, sleeve background photos
 Albert Licano – photography
 Alice Baxley – photography
 Humberto Leon – photography
 Batsheva – outfits
 Opening Ceremony – outfits
 Thy Mai – hair
 Valerie Vonprisk – cat eye makeup
 Littlerock Nia – additional hair, makeup
 Michael Meeks Silva – additional hair, makeup

 Charts 
+Weekly charts for Growing UpChart (2022)PeakpositionUS Top Album Sales (Billboard)19US Vinyl Albums (Billboard)10Japanese Albums (Oricon)49Japanese Hot Albums (Billboard Japan)92Japanese Top Album Sales  (Billboard Japan)47UK Independent Album Breakers Chart (OCC)4UK Vinyl Albums  (OCC)37UK Album Sales  (OCC)60UK Physical Albums  (OCC)51UK Record Store  (OCC)14

 Release history 
+Release history for Growing UpRegionDateTypeMultipleApril 8, 2022Digital downloadMay 17, 2023Digital download (bonus edition)United StatesApril 8, 2022CD, LPJapanJune 3, 2022CDEuropeJune 24, 2022LP

 Notes 

 References 

 Other websites 



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