Rhythm & Views

SOMETIMES OPINIONS ON a record can have you raving one minute and trash talking the next. Le Tigre is a prime example. After Bikini Kill's brilliant swan song "Reject All American" and singer Kathleen Hanna's interesting and underrated stab at lo-fi solo-dom under the nom de plume "JulieRuin," I expected her new project would come out of the gates rocking. But, after learning that Hanna has taken leave of her Olympia, Washington, digs for the Big Apple to start a band with a feminist videographer and a DJ/keyboardist, the Le Tigre sound began to make more sense. Musically, Kathleen and Co. deliver some catchy tunes, but occasionally too many spaces are filled with tape loops of beeps where guitar and drums would have been more welcome. Lyrically, some great sing-along choruses range from the ridiculous and fun to chants about taking the subway, thrown together with the occasional name drop. The personal may be political, but it can also be downright pretentious. Those looking for something fun, new wave and arty, who don't mind being informed of the authors and bands they're not cool enough to know already, should check this out. But approach with caution if the soundtrack to an arty postmodern feminist slumber party ain't your bag.