For decades we've accepted aggressive rock 'n' roll chicks who plainly state what they want. From Patti Smith and Chrissie Hynde to Le Tigre and Sleater-Kinney—might as well include Shakira and Beyoncé—they've become role models for assertiveness. But the Green Lady Killers won't be satisfied with independence and sexual fulfillment; they want to kick your ass, too.
The sultry, gun-toting and—let's not pretend we haven't noticed—just plain hot ladies in this Phoenix trio play steamrolling garage-punk on their first full-length album, spiking the recipe with moderate helpings of girl-group vocals and roaring metal.
The whole affair kicks off with "My 45," an ode to a girl and her gun, which finds singer and guitarist Lady Van Buren admonishing a former lover to keep his distance, lest she take him down. Lyrical nods to Tupac and Ice Cube contribute to the song's take-no-shit attitude.
More Joan Jett than The Donnas, the Green Lady Killers aren't afraid to show their soft side, either. "Linger On" features restrained pop melodies, but is no less exhilarating than the grimy garage rock of "Dance Floor" or the balls-to-the-wall AC/DC riffage of "Power" and "Ride."
In the middle of the album is a glorious psychotronic rave-up titled "Interlude," which lays the fuzz on thick while the girls giggle, chat and shout "sweet young thing" in the background. It's enough to make any red-blooded boy long to be objectified.
