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Y Pants was an all-female No Wave band from New York City, active from 1979 to 1982. The trio consisted of photographer/musician Barbara Ess, visual artist Virginia Piersol, and filmmaker Gail Vachon. They developed a unique sound using acoustic toy instruments, including a toy piano, ukulele, and a paper-headed Mickey Mouse drum kit, along with electric bass guitar, Casio keyboards, and various low-tech effects. Y Pants gained popularity in Manhattan's art gallery scene due to their feminist poetics and toy instrumentation, while their No Wave influence made them regulars at punk rock venues like CBGB. In 1980, they recorded their debut 4-song EP for the renowned 99 Records, followed by a full-length LP two years later. Lyrically, their material explored the off-kilter aspects of relationships, addressing themes such as the perils of laundry in "Favorite Sweater," materialism in "We Have Everything," patriarchy in "That's The Way Boys Are," and a reworking of Bertolt Brecht's "Barbara's Song" from Threepenny Opera. Musically, they were compared to their British post-punk contemporaries for their overlapping vocal choruses and eclectic approach to sound, rhythm, and composition. The lyrics for the band's song "Obvious" were written by a novelist and critic. Y Pants disbanded shortly after their album's release, though they reportedly reunited each year on the birthdays of

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