Pinky Pinky have good gut instincts. During an era of limitless distractions, societal pressures and sonic trends, the best friends are focused on being happy and blissfully on the outside of all that noise. The duo grew up together in Los Angeles and there's a shared understanding of what makes them tick. Together with her punk cohort Anastasia Sanchez (vocalist/drummer, 20), bassist Eva Chambers (19) has a clear understanding that Pinky Pinky's modus operandi is in not overthinking their decisions.
You can hear that on their debut album, Turkey Dinner on Innovative Leisure. It follows their two prior EPs, most recently 2018's Hot Tears. Their first full-length, however, is even freer than their previous efforts. It's a patchwork quilt of garage rock and oddball indie. It's rooted in classic bass, drums, guitar, but it's bolstered by the perspectives of LA youths writing about their everyday observations, anxieties and passions.
For instance, “My Friend Sean” is a young fantasy about the dreamiest boy in class, “Mystery Sedan” is an LA story about a car being the only thing there in times of distress, “Lady Dancer” is about a stripper at a bikini bar in Los Feliz. When lead lyricist Sanchez met Chambers in the girls' locker room in High School they knew that they'd be in a band together.
Originally born in New York but moving to LA during childhood, Chambers began life in a band with her three older sisters, playing keys. She picked up a bass at the age of thirteen after their endeavors had died a death. Sanchez's father put sticks in her hands as a little girl. She was a prodigy in classical violin but also wanted to get back to the sheer pleasure of playing and so canned the anxiety-ridden music studies for her DIY drumming. She became a singer by necessity for Pinky Pinky, referring back to her love of Fiona Apple and even Heart for vocal chops.
During their High School years they flew beneath the radar. Only recently have they hired a booking agent after already building a solid reputation on the LA scene hustling by themselves. When they played Dave Grohl's inaugural CalJam festival in 2017 they didn't even have a manager. “I got a call from someone who works with Dave Grohl: 'Dave really likes your band',” recalls Sanchez. “And I was laughing like, 'Weird? But cool?! It was a little surreal’.”
Whereas their first EPs were overcomplicated and limited by a prior standard of musicianship, their LP has been created with more confidence alongside producers Jonny Bell and Hanni El Khatib in Long Beach. “It took a long time for our EPs to come out,” explains Chambers. “And by the time they did we'd grown a lot.” Indeed, this album arrives it'll be the most accurate representation of where Pinky Pinky is currently at live onstage and off it. They aimed to make a live-sounding record that didn't feel too shiny in its production. As a result, Turkey Dinner is unpretentious, raw and unpredictably zany.
