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Alexander has always been a fearless and fiery songwriter, and the origins of “Call Us What We Are” demonstrate those characteristics perfectly. The song poured out of Alexander after a long, frustrating studio session that ended at midnight when her engineer — also known as her husband — stormed out and headed to bed alone. But Alexander stayed in the studio and pointed her pissed-off mood at the guitar. “I was channeling my supreme irritation with a slice of sass and a shot of humor,” she says of the process. “When I climbed into bed a few hours later, my husband asked me, ‘What have you been doing?’ I answered, ‘Writing a fu**ing hit.’“
The energy in Alexander’s lyrics is certainly infectious enough. They start with her inability to self-censor, then run through a series of bratty intrusive thoughts about texting exes and spying on their new partners. Her playful delivery turns what could be sour grapes into a singalong celebration of calling it like it is.
Producer Paul Bushnell’s idiosyncratic production cues and an all-star band elevate “Call Us What We Are.” The song begins with the main melody bouncing over an electronic buzz that cuts and revs like an engine, then brings in irreverent percussion and glitchy effects to underscore Alexander’s cheeky vocals. They’re the perfect example of the “hip quotient” she ascribes to Bushnell’s production and the result of his willingness to let the band run wild. Dave Levita (Stevie Nicks, Lana Del Rey) and Thomas Lang (Peter Gabriel, Robbie Williams) both play on the track, with Zackary Darling engineering and mixing, but it was keyboardist Zac Rae (Death Cab for Cutie, Leonard Cohen) who used that freedom to find the sound effects that pop and warp throughout the song, helping to push “Call Us What We Are” into bright new musical territory for Alexander.
As the song moves into the pre-chorus, it introduces forceful overdriven guitars and backup vocals that help to fill out every corner of the space. Then it all vanishes for the last line of the chorus — a punch that lands harder for being pulled. By the time we get back around to that profane, chorus-closing lyric, the song has built up enough steam to come crashing in like a derailed train, and riot rock runs that momentum through to the end.
The song is on Messy, Alexander’s 11th record and her first in partnership with KZZ Music.
About the song, Cindy comments “I always enjoy the creative collaboration of making videos, and “Call Us What We Are” was no exception. I absolutely love how Scout and Dee’s irreverent vision brought new and unforeseen layers to my song’s story. I’m at a point in my career, and in my life, where a sense of humor is mandatory. The entire cast and crew had me laughing for the entire shoot. Mission accomplished!”
