Words by Willa Rudolph
Have you been wishing for a more playful, unassuming, unhinged indie rock band? Enter Um, Jennifer? The NYC-based duo of Elijah Scarpati and Fig Regan just dropped their debut album Um Comma Jennifer Question Mark on April 25th—and it’s chaotic, sharp, and heartfelt.
You may remember the self-described trans slut rock band from “Girl Class,” the 2023 single that introduced the duo’s blend of scuzzy guitars, theatrical flair, and wry but sincere sense of queer storytelling–or maybe from our 2024 write-ups of “Glamour Girl” and 2023’s “Cut Me Open.” Since then, they’ve been steadily building a cult following with their cheeky, appealing tone coupled with sincere expressions of queer experience backed up with awesome instrumentation.
With the release of the 11-track Um Comma Jennifer Question Mark, Um, Jennifer? has put out what’s essentially a love letter, a scream, and a fever dream, all directed at their band’s namesake—“Jennifer”—a deity-like figure they invented and regularly sacrifice themselves to.
Track number one, “So Sick!” sounds like an early 2000’s rom-com montage of kids running through the streets, finding freedom and self-embodiment as they come of age. It’s the entryway into the album, dropping you right into the thick of it–a night out in NYC with all its manic, magic, and migraine-inducing energy. Track two, “Delancey,” picks up the energy that was just laid down, like picking you up off the floor the morning after said night out. The lyrics describe “hate yr guts” fueled hallucinations of an ex as you walk around the Lower East Side and East Village.
Track four, “Daddy’s Girl,” has a little more punk in it, a little more raw heat and angst. A simple drum beat and chugging guitar and bass are the pulsating proletariat heartbeat behind a tale of privilege where “Daddy’s girl gets whatever she wants” and “gives no second thought / ‘cause Daddy was a big producer man / so if Daddy says, then baby sure can!” Think we all know the type.
“Old Grimes,” which is the centerpiece song of the record at position six, offers a reprieve in the sense that it stands out from the others. The different feel of the song kind of makes you stop, makes you think. Recounting the band’s first encounter with “Jennifer,” the deity namesake of the band, here she appears in physical form as opposed to her usual manifestation as a voice over a mystical red rotary phone. The song is a little bit Pixies [editor’s note: picture Kim Deal listening to, well, old Grimes!] and a little bit surf rock. Majorly dig this one.
The record is very conceptual, with a whole cast of characters and made up scenarios. Still dealing with themes of gender, relationships, youth, and finding balance between happiness and disillusionment in today’s day & age, Um, Jennifer? riles us up even harder with track 8, “Keep it Tight.” Furious guitars and vocals burst out of my speakers.
Finally, we end with the beloved track, “Cut Me Open,” which I’ve already written all about, but listening to it now, a couple years after its release, it’s the perfect closing song to Um Comma Jennifer Question Mark, with the narrator begging to be consumed violently by love itself. As with all of Um, Jennifer?’s music, this project offers a blend of whimsy and raw emotion, vividly expressing the trans experience. It’s a powerful call to connection—a bold and heartfelt testament to love. They so viscerally capture the gut-wrenching feelings of growing up and navigating relationships, let alone as a queer person.
A big chunk of the album was produced by Grammy-winning producer Ariel Loh (a trans trailblazer in the industry), and the release is also tied to a physical vinyl pressing through Final Girl Records in collaboration with Loh’s new initiative, Trans Music Archive. The initiative is preserving trans artistry physically in the form of vinyl, as well as spiritually.
Um, Jennifer? has also launched a Patreon, where fans can find the full-length Um Comma Jennifer Question Mark visual album. It’s a trippy, interconnected series of music videos that expands their weird little universe (which they lovingly call the “Jenniverse”). It’s only available for a limited time, so if you want to be a certified Jenhead, now’s your chance.
After a wild album release show at Night Club 101, next they’re hitting DC9 for the Liberation Weekend Festival on May 30th, a powerful event benefitting the Gender Liberation Movement. They’ll also be headlining Out & Abt for NYC Pride at Brooklyn Monarch on June 27—so catch Um, Jennifer? outside this summer, preferably somewhere loud and sweaty.
Um Comma Jennifer Question Mark isn’t just a debut album—it’s a DECLARATION. Um, Jennifer? have made something tender, theatrical, and wildly alive. If you like your music loud, queer, and just a little demonically possessed, this one’s for you!
