Review Summary: Masterly guitar work, precise drumming, amazing vocals that are to die for, a must for any fan of punk/pop-punk or someone who just likes some softer tunes every once in a while.
For me, the idea of all girl bands has always been a huge turn-off. The whole "spunky girrrl riot" thing just never appealed to me. I've never been much the fan of female vocalists either, feeling that they lack the edge and roughness of male rock vocalists. However, when I picked up Warped Tour '06 for the killer price of 8 bucks, I was in for a surprise.
It was around 2 am, as I was listening through the second cd in the package when I was suddenly struck with something, and just had to wake my family up to tell them the news. I had finally found a decent girl band with a decent vocalist, and what's more, they were more than decent, they were exceptional. I had to buy their music.
So I purchased their Worst Enemy EP online and downloaded it to my computer, and quickly burned it on to a cd. Best use of 6 bucks I coulda asked for. I was immediately struck by the masterful and fitting guitar work via the lead guitarist Betty, for whom the band was fittingly monickered. It's strange to think that a pop-punk band, and an all girl pop-punk band at that might have a decent guitarist, yet here it is. Betty executes her parts with precision and beauty, while never losing the simple fill of punk or merging with heavy metal at all. If anything the guitar work is more than vaguely remeniscant of surtfer rock tunes of the yesteryears.
While the guitar work is to drool over, what truly won me over to this band, and what I listen to them for to this day, is the vocalism of Nicolette Vilar. The woman's voice is to die for. She is at once naive sounding, and powerfully filled with attitude. She can be soft and childlike when she needs to be, and sing like a ball-busting bitch when the song demands it. Her voice is like a dream, a velvet caress for the ears. I immediately fell in love with her voice and because you can't help but fall in love with her, you sympathize with her lyrics much more strongly, which is a good thing since the lyrical quality of this band is far from original or even respectable.
It is in the lyics that I must make my major gripe. They're crud. The band mostly focuses on relationship issues and girl power (strong women don't need a man... how original). Nevertheless, this spice girls mentality is pretty catchy and does grow on you, even if you are a guy. I imagine there are a lot of women who really dig the lyrics. Also, the tunes, while great, are really nothing all that special. They are pretty typical pop-punk tunes with the same nostalgic and softer sound that The Ramones were playing back in the 70s. At least they aren't trying to be an emo band.
Now for a swift track by track analysis:
You're Your Worst Enemy-Not bad, not great. Passable. The lyrics are nothing special, but decent anywho.
It's Too Bad-Has some really dead on vocals. Nicolette's voice is particularly charming in this song. Good song, I'd recommend it.
Son Mis Locuras (These are my crazies [insane tendencies, in other words])-I can't really understand the lyrics of this song well, despite having taken 3 years of spanish. As far as I can tell they say something about insanity and her hair. Decent track though, even if it is in spanish.
Go Away-Pretty decent girl power type song. Basically about someone like an ex or a creep who she wants nothing to do with and does not need. Her vocals are powerful and filled with attitude in this song.
C'mon-Exceptional song, really. I would recommend this to anyone who wants to get in to this band. It is incredibly soft, and incredibly nostalgic. A real cheerful pick-er-upper.
Recommended Tracks-
C'mon
It's Too Bad
(I'd also recommend Saturday for some stuff not on this EP)
